Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 104: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IVAN THE 100 CHAPTER LI. IVAN THE TERRIBLE OBTAINS THE BODY OF WILL WINTER, WHICH IS RECOVERED BY THE SHERIFFS AND RE-HUNG AT BLACKHEATH. TuE two sheriffs and those that followed Ivan in his mad career, as he dashed onwards with his prize, were almost mad with joy at the success and daring of Ivan the Terrible, They spurred their horses, and galloped after him at their best pace. Ere long they overtook him, His face was wild-looking, shot. f «What want ye with me?” he asked, looking for a moment on his excited and jaded pursuers as if they were enemies more than friends. ~ ; In truth, with several cuts about the head and with spots and clots of blood upon his grimy face and tattered garments, he looked like some ferocious wild beast bearing away its prey more than a human being. “Thou hast the body of the youth ?” said one of the sheriffs, ‘‘T have, and what then ?” ‘* He still lives.” ‘He does. His heart. beats. What of that? What would you have me do with him—despatch him?” growled Ivan, drawing a huge knife, and ferociously brandishing it. “Nay, good Ivan, that must not be; it would be murder.” ‘Murder? ha, ha, ha! How long have flint-hearted sheriffs become seft-hearted women? Murder? ha, ha, ha! 1f Tor any of my friends had been convicted as he has, you~ would not consider it murder to ‘ finish ’ me !” “ He must be hung, Ivan, according to the very letter of the law.” ‘True ; but he has been hung once.” ‘Yes; but he is not dead. More than that, he is to be also hung in chains,” “ Then, so be it. Master Will shall be hung for the second time ; but on this occasion, I warrant me, neither Blue- Jacket nor any of his friends shall be present to attempt a rescue,” ‘“‘ Just as we most desire, good Ivan; but give us the body. We, as officers of the Crown, are in duty bound to see the exact sentence of the law fulfilled.” “And what if I do give the body to ye? Whatthen? Am I not to be paid for my time, trouble, and dangers ?” “ Yes, and right handsomely will we report ye to Lord Jefferies, and the potent lords of council.” ‘© So be it, then,” said Ivan, with an air of much reluctance, “ Judge Jefferies’ praise is something, but ready money is more to me than that. How much will ye give me?” “ How much do ye want?” “Not less than £100,” “£100 ?” gasped the sheriffs, in surprise and wrath, ‘* What, are ye mad, Ivan? It is gross imposition and extortion, Give the body to us, I say, or else ——” ‘‘ Silence |” roared Ivan, like a wounded beast, ‘* You know not to whom ye speak. My price must be paid. Would ye like that Ishould report your cowardice to Judge Jefferies and have ye clapped in gaol?” ** Cowardice ?” * Aye, ye understand me well enough. Did you not sneak away like curs when the riot commenced ?”’ “ Sneak away ?’”’ foamed the frothy sheriffs, in great wrath, _ “Yes; and into an ale house, too, until Z and others rescued the young villain from the paws of the mob? And when ye saw him safe in my hands, did ye not mount your horses and gallop after me, out of harm’s way ?—ha! ha! you do not know me, My price, I gay, or I will despatch him on the in- stant as thus he lays across my saddle ; and it will go hard with meif I do not see both of ye hung ere long for exciting the riot to-day, and your share in the Apprentice’s plots,” “Tis false!” shouted both the sheriffs, indignantly, drawing their swords, ‘Put up your swords, I tell ye,” growled Ivan, with a deadly frown, “ another word from either, and I will slay ye as ye sit. My price, I say—neither ld like to e@ & gallows, I think,” , : PS oie his eyes staring and blood- TERRIBLE. There was so much malice and determination in the bold ruffian’s voice and manner, that the two sheriffs feared to pro- voke him further. Kh. They therefore consulted together, and gave the villain his blood money, with many a bitter sigh and imprecation on his head. Having taken possession of Will Winter's body the sheriff : dismissed the soldiers, and, having seen Ivan depart also, they consulted together as io what had best be done. They resolved to procure a cart and proceed to Blackheath, and hang their prisoner there. Cay “Tt is far from London,” one said; ‘‘no one will know of it ; we can send word for the blacksmith, and, in the dead of night, we will suspend him to the gallows on the cross-roads. This resolution was no sooner said than done. With all haste they hurried on with the helpless youth to a neighbouring fatm-house, and told the master all that had happened, They had scarcely got safely into the house with their burden ere two horsemen galloped up the road. It was Harry Percy and the faithful Darby. | One of them stopped for a moment at the farm gate, “ Have you seen anything of mounted horsemen, this way?” — asked the rider, of a servant. “No!” the servant replied, in a loud voice, at the same time winking very mysteriously. “Are you sure of that ?” ‘‘Yes; but if you go and-hide yourselves in yonder wood ~ until nightfall you may come across two mounted men,” he added, in a whisper and turned away. they start.” “Thanks !” Harry replied, tossing the farm servant a gold piece, and rode after Darby up the road. The sheriffs had perceived who the two horsemen were, and — seemed highly pleased when the servant had told them what had passed, ° “For,” said they, ‘one of them is Earl.Percy’s son, and the other his groom; two as mischievous youths, I hear, as ever were joined together as master and servant. But we have given them the slip this time.” In the course of the afternoon one of the sheriffs rode into London, and, before night, returned with a cart and a man, who, in times past, had served many years as a common hangman, together with a red-headed youth, the old hang- man’s assistant, Fearful that any of the London Apprentices might be prowling about the country and suburbs of London the two sheriffs were very cautious in their preparations. The servant who had winked so knowingly at Harry excited the sheriffs’ suspicions in some way. They therefore sent him on an errand to London witha note to some unknown surgeon, saying at the time that they intended to restore Will Winter and have him conveyed to town again. But this was only a ruse. . As soon as he was out of the way, the sheriffs placed the half-dying youth in the cart, which the hangman and his youthful assistant drove. < They did not proceed up the road, beside which Harry and Darby were hiding, but crossed the farm on to another road, and so continued on their way until they reached Blackheath in the dead of night, - And a terrible night it was. The weather suddenly changed, and became intensely cold. Hail, rain, sleet and snow rapidly succeeded, so that when Blackheath was reached the ground was covered with a thick layer of white and fleecy covering. All on and around that wild and barren spot was dark, dreary, cheerless, ghastly and gloomy. The grim, lonely and blasted old gibbet that, with out- stretched arms, stood at the cross roads, shivered, shook, and creaked and mournfully groaned with age and premature decay in the whistling north winds, while heaps of snow was blown hither and thither into large and treacherous drifts by at roadside and hedges, _ More than once-had the luckless sheriffs mistaken t and tumbled into deep ditches. cma <SriGoim GComichoo ‘JT will tell you when — ;