Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 209: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE ry Whorean they be?” asked Blue-Jacket, in a whisper, feel- ing very uneasy. The Unknown beckoned silence. “If we have anything to fear it is from the old woman,” he said. ‘If she is awakened we are lost.” For the third time three heavy blows descended on the front door with greater violence than before, - Then all was ominously still within and without, Blue-Jacket could hear his own heart beating violently against his ribs, and he gazed at his masked and unknown friend in doubt, ) ‘“ What shall we do?” he whispered. “We will let them wake up the old dame. Iwill undo her door again. Meanwhile both of us shall hide in one of the rooms above to watch all that takes place.” So saying, the Unknown quietly and catlike approached the old mae door, unlocked and unbarred it, and then opened it wide. She was still snoring loudly, and with no signs of waking. While Blue-Jacket and his friend were moving about in the room before they went upstairs, some one outside, in the road, said in a faint voice, _ “T hear stealthy footsteps within.” ‘So do I,” was the answer. “They can’t have left the place.” “ Not they.” “What shall we do?” “Why, when next you hear any noise within fire a pistol pot through the door in the direction you think it comes om.” “Well said I will.” Look out,’ said Blue-Jacket to his friend; “they are going to shoot. Let us bolt upstairs.” | Upon their hands and knees the two robbers crawled out of the apartment towards the stairs. At that moment one of the party outside put the barrel of his pistol to the keyhole, and fired through it, The report was loud, and the bullet just escaped Blue- Jacket’s head, and plunged with a smash among the crockery of the woman’s sleeping room. With a shout and a scream and an oath she rushed ont of bed into the front apartment. Knowing not what she did in her flurry, and imagining a thousand horrible things, she stumbled over Blue-Jacket in the darkness, and fell to the floor, bawling in the most out- Tageous manner. ‘Break in the door |” “Open, within there !” ‘House ho !” said first one and then another of those out- side, but without avail. Blue-Jacket and the Unknown had hardly crawled up the creaking stairs when a loud voice without shouted, “Now then, altogether. Ready ?” ““Yes,’’ was the answer of several, t< Now {22 5 At that instant there was a violent shove made at the oor. | In a trice it was burst open, and fell upon the old woman with a dull, heavy weight that squeezed nearly every particle of breath ont of her body. “Lichts ! lights !” cried the chief of the intruders. In a moment several of the party produced dark lanterns. Candles and torches were lit, and the light revealed more than half-a-dozen officers, armed to the teeth “Where are they ?”’ asked one, “There is no one here.” “Not so fast,” said another; ‘‘they are here, but they have so many hiding-places it will take time to ferret them out.” ‘Where is the old she-devil that shouted just now?” said the chief. ‘We must not let her escape, by any means; she is the worst of all. Where is she?” A loud groan from beneath the prostrate door denoted the spot where she lay. : oF She was roughly extricated from her unpleasant position, placed a finger upon his mouth, and «Say the word.” = TERRIBLE. 205 and sat in an arm-chair, moaning and groaning in the most alarming manner, ‘Well, old witch, where is your husband ?” one asked. She shook her head, and groaned. “Speak, Isay. Where is your villanous husband?” “ Aye, and the others ?” Still she moaned and groaned, but answered not. ‘* Oh, well, if you won’t answer, you won't, that’s all; but it veel go all the harder against you, my fierce-looking old cat !” ‘“Come,” said the chief, “let one of you stand watch and guard over the woman, while the rest go and search the lower premises, ’ So saying, the chief officer and his men descended, leaving one of the party to look after the half-crazy woman, whose eyes were now glowing with anger like two burning coals. The officers going below just suited Blue-Jacket, who thought of getting out upon the tiles, and slipping down the rain-pipes into the yard. His companion, however, whoever he was, seemed to un- derstand all the ins and outs of the place much better than Blue-Jacket ever expected, for he said, softly, “Don’t you do anything rashly ; follow me.” Blue-Jacket did follow him. The Unknown lifted two boards up from the floor. ‘“‘ Lie down there, between the beams ; you can see into the room below. They will next suspect us here, particularly if they discover the three villains below.” In order to show Blue-Jacket that he meant what he said, the Unknown was the first to creep into the cavity beneath the flooring. The Fly-by-Night did so likewise. There were several holes in the ceiling below, through which the whole room was visible to them. After they had drawn the boards over themselves again they turned upon their faces and gazed below. ‘“Wait a little while,’ said the Unknown, “and we shall see the end of this affair. Don’t the old woman look sacred ? Why, see, her eyes are almost staring out of her head,” ‘What does all this mean?’ Blue-Jacket asked. “Oh, nothing in particular ; they have come here to seize the three throat-cutters below, and ere long will hang them in chains.” *€ In chains 2” “* Very’ “ How do you know all this ?” Oh, easily enough ; I sent them here, or, at least, put them on the scent.” ce You y bd ‘Yes, me. Don’t be alarmed; you needn’t wriggle and writhe so much, or both of us will also be robbed,” said the Unknown, with a chuckle. “Who the devil are you, then?” “T’ll tell you on two conditions.” : “Two conditions?” said Blue-Jacket, more and more sur- prised, ‘‘ What are they Pas hen “You will give me your word of honour not to distrust me?” ; TT will.” “ And not to make a noise ?” ‘“ i wl tH ‘‘T told you I was called the Terror of the Moor.” * You did.” ‘“That is one of my names.”’ ‘ “ One of your names? How many have you, then?” “ Only two.” “ And the other is——” “ The Ferret !” . CHAPTER XCVIIL.. THE DISCOVERY OF THE INNKEEPER AND HIS COMPANIONS IN CRIME BY THE OFFICERS, HAD a cannon-ball fallen within a foot of him Blue-Jacket could not have felt more surprised. “The Ferret!” he said, “(axo)(gire oxeror ace (cOm