Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 168: what you’re looking at

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

164 IVAN THE “ Yes, but I do.” “ Then I must let the officers stay vhere they is,” “ Just so; they'll never think of following you.” Just while he spoke, however, Nat Fathom and Sharkey were surprised to hear a sudden tumult of voices round the house. ‘‘ What is that?’ both asked, in a breath. “ Took out, Nat !” “ Sharkey, take care!” said several voices below stairs ; “they have dogged you! The house is surrounded by @ crowd of officers! The doors are double-locked and barred ! We must fight—prepare !” ’ ‘‘That’s Ikey’s voice,” said Sharkey, “and there’s no mistake about it. It’s no false alarm, d—n ’em |” At that moment a great clamour was heard at the windows and elsewhere. The officers were endeavouring to batter down the doors, Loud oaths and shouts were heard on every side, The door fell in. ‘ With loud curses and savage resolves the officers rushed in, pistol and sword in hand, 2 CHAPTER LXXX, JUDGE JEFFERIES GOES IN SEARCH OF LEONORA TEMPEST —HE ENCOUNTERS TOMMY THE EEL ON THE ROAD, WHO ROBS HIM AND MAKES HIM EAT THE WARRANT FOR THE ARREST OF NAT FATHOM, WHILE Nat Fathom and his bosom friend Sharkey were in great jeopardy from the numerous body of officers, who were sent by the governor of the gaol to arrest the redoubtable Nat, let us look for a moment at what occurred to Judge Jefferies, who, of all other men, had the most interest in re- taining and desiring to retain the person of Leonora Tempest. - He did not care an atom in some sense for Nat Fathom so much as he did for the safety of Leonora, for on her depended the unravelling of a mystery of great importance, which the reader will quickly learn in succeeding chapters of great interest and sensation. This being the case, it is not. untrithful or improbable to say that he had spies in his employ, who quickly informed him of her escape from the gaol at the same hour and at the same moment that the bold and famous Nat managed to scale the walls. When one of his paid spies, therefore, rushed to the house of Judge Jefferies, and informed him of Leonora’s escape, he looked pale and timid at the messenger, and could not, nay, he would not believe it. “Escaped?’? he gasped, in profound astonishment, and walked his room with all the manners of a madman. The book he was reading in his library he flung at the head of his own paid messenger, and rushed from the room like a lunatic, He mounted a horse, and galloped on the way to London at a frightful speed, ' He had made up his mind to move both heaven and earth as far as possible to effect the recapture of Leonora, if not of the famous Nat himself. As he lived some short distance out of town, and as the night was dark, he was very careful as to the way in which he journeyed, yet, did not, for a moment, suspect that any harm would befall him, This was a grevious error. Blue-Jacket always had some of his gang on the look-out for the goings and comings of Judge Jefferies, and the famous ‘* butcher,” therefore, could not move but what he was watched by some of the Fly-by-Nights, who, though they had orders not to kill him, sought every chance and opportunity of robbing and annoying the brutal judge. Jefferies galloped on his way towards London, brimful of revenge on any or all who had been concerned in Leonora’s escape, until at last his pony began to puff and blow very much from over haste and fatigue, He was walking this, his favourite pony, very quietly along the road until he came to a;mass of ruins—the ruins of a man- _ property, b) TERRIBLE. ; gion, indeed, which once belonged to an unfortunate gentie- man who had been wrongfully accused of crime, and executed through the orders of J efferies—when the pony obstinately stopped, and would not move, While steed and rider, so to speak, were engaged in pro- found thought for a moment, a tall man suddenly emerged from amongst the grey stones of the ruined mansion, and approached the terrified judge with a free and easy coolness. Had Jefferies known who it was, he would most probably — have dismounted and left his pony to its stubbornness and fate, and trusted to his own legs for escape rather than en- counter the mysterious stranger. ~ For it was bine other than Tommy the Eel, who had lately joined Blue-Jacket’s band, and who, as the reader is well aware, ~ | had a nasty habit of appropriating other person’s besides entertaining a great antipathy to every person and thing connected with law and lawyers, above all, hating attorneys with a special hatred, having been much ~ persecuted by them whilst “ on the loose” about, on account: of alleged irregularities in the mode of conducting his own particular private business. ¢ “J]l try and frighten him if he’s a robber,” thought the judge to himself. ; “Come, keep off, young man ; mind what youre at, Iam a, judge,” he cried, The stranger did not appear to value the announcement much, but continued to advance, . ‘“‘T’'m a judge I tell you, so mind what you're at.” “Never? Surely you’re joking, ain’t you?” said the Eel, with a grin. ‘No, I never joke with strangers.” ‘‘ Well, if you are one, it’s all the same. I suppose you can’t help it; it ain’t your fault.” _ ae «“ What the devil do you mean?” continued Judge Jefferies, all the time thumping and kicking his obstinate steed in vain endeavours to make him move on. “ That’s a good ’un to go, that is,’ remarked Tommy, in sneering tones. “Come, now, get out of my way; none of your nence,” said the judge, very frothy. ‘“‘T beg pardon, I didn’t mean to be impertinent, especially when I’m going to ask a favour,” said Tommy, with a chuckle. ‘‘ What favour is that, sirrah ?” “ Well, as you’re a bit of a lawyer, you can tell me, perhaps, whether, if one gentleman borrows money of another, he can put him in prison afterwards, and call it robbery ?” said the Eel, with a pistol behind his back. “ Certainly not, it’s a Joan, and can only be recovered by a — civil process,” said Jefferies, in disgust. | “Very good. Then, that point being settled, Pll just trouble you to Zend me all you happen to have about you,” said Tommy, coolly. . “What, lend? Me? Murder!” , “Now don’t make such a row, or else you'll break your voice, and that would be a pity.” ‘ You’re joking, knave.” e | ‘“T never joke with strangers,” replied Tommy, at the same ae laying hold of the bridle of the lawyer’s obstinate steed. . Judge Jefferies shook with fear as he stammered out, “T have no money, only about four copper pieces, and some warrants,” “ Oh, that's all, is it?” “ Yes,” | “Then you'll lend it 2?” “Certainly ; I’ll make "you a present of it if you'll just. leave go my pony.” “ Couldn’t think of putting you to so much trouble when you ac going to act so kindly. Just sit still, and Ill help myself.” Ere the astonished judge could show cause against such ah unusual proceeding, the robber had seized him by the coat- collar with one hand, while with ‘the other he quickly, scientifically, and effectually searched all the pockets of the j perti- judge, w This proceeding resulted in the discovery of well-filled purse, and sundry legal documents, comicbooks;com