Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. 09 He had distinguished himself many times by his sagacity and bravery, and he did not relish being led to glory by a petticoat, even though that petticoat was now disguised in male attire. ! There was no help for it, though. They had been for the last eighteen months vainly endeavouring to obtain some clue to the hiding-place of the gang, but hitherto their efforts had proved un- successful. Even now without Clara’s help they would be obliged to abandon the project. Here they were certainly very close, too, but yet a very long way off. It would not do to quarrel with the guide just now, at any rate, tor they did not yet know the entrance to the cavern. It was concealed in an artful way by bushes and briars. Clara pulled these on one side and touched a secret spring. | Obedient to her pressure, a large moss-grown stone revolved slowly. A flight of stone steps was then disclosed to view, down which, followed by the men, she cautiously de- scended, They arrived at the bottom of the steps at the entrance to a passage. It was long and low, and narrow, and very dark. At sight of it the inspector made a slight grimace. ** Do you hesitate ?” interrogated Clara. “No,” he replied angrily. ‘* Lead on.” ** Hush, for Heaven’s sake. A word, and you are lost. We know not now but that we may be walking in our grayes,”’ It was a horrible thought, and the inspector de- voutly wished himself safe back again in Scotland Yard. But he had gone too far now to retreat. They crept on in silence. It was pitch dark. ** If we only had a lantern,” he said. ** The first glimmer of it would be fatal.’’ **T hope we’re all right,”’ thought the inspector. Then alittle further on he asked— ‘“* Haven’t we nearly reached the journey’s end ?”’ ““Very nearly. Now for it !” As she thus answered, in alow whisper, Clara touched a spring, and a door opened in front of them. Through the aperture was to be obtained a full view of a large dimly-lighted apartment. Upon velvet couches around the stalwart forms of the coiners were stretched. They were apparently unarmed, but close at hand were to be seen pistols and swords ready for use at a moment’s notice. ** Now single your men, and make a rush,” These were the instructions which Clara gave. It was a terrible moment. The heart of more than one of the policemen quaked within him. But all now depended upon promptitude and energy. They all prepared themselves. Each singled out his man. The inspector gave the signal, and they stole into the room. When within a yard or two of their men one who was not asleep sprang up with a loud cry. In an instant the rest were on their feet. _ They stood for a moment staring wildly at their enemies, then seized their arms. A fearful conflict now ensued, A terrific struggle, in which both police and coiners contended for the mastery with the fury of demons. While they were thus engaged Clara had stolen back into the passage and closed the door. simultaneous Turning in an opposite direction to that in which she had come, she in a few seconds reached tho door of the store-room. Here she knew the wealth of the gang was kept, and to this she intended to help herself, But at the door she came face to face with an old woman. She acted as cook, and that night was keeping watch over her master’s gold in the absencé‘of its ordinary guard, the old man whom Clara had killed when she rescued Edgar Deville. She evidently knew the intruder, and doubted the honesty of her purpose. At the same time Clara seemed to know that she must not waste any time in words. There was the treasure, and if she must possess it it could only be by laying violent hauds upon it. There must be a struggle. ’ The sooner over the better. Without a word she sprang at the other’s throat. She bore her down with a crash to the floor, The old woman struggled violently, but ineffectually, to free herself. : The other pressed her down, and, wrenching vio- lently at a neckerchief she wore, held her helpless until the black and swollen veins rose up like knotted cords on her forehead. The first blow is half the yictory, and by the sud- denness of her attack she had carried the day. The old woman’s struggles grew gradually fainter. At length she lay perfectly still. Then Clara rose, and, opening the door, listened. The sound of the clashing of swords, and the hoarse cries of the combatants met her ears, She gazed round the room, ‘‘There is plenty of time,’”? she muttered to herself. ** While they are fighting I can get clear off.”’ She approached a small wooden box as she spoke. It was locked. On the old woman’s neck, however, was a cord, to which a key was attached, Clara took it off and inserted it in the lock. It turned easily. Next moment she was on her knees before the gold, cramming it into her pockets with both hands. But, while she was so engaged, of a sudden there was a terrific explosion. A fearful thundet1ing crashing sound. Then a great smoke, which half choked her, and a violent agitation of all the articles which the room contained. A rumbling and rolling, and rattling and clattering, in which huge masses of brickwork fell around her like hail. Huge beams of wood sprang from their places, and flew like chips, and the walls came tumbling down on all sides, like the walls of a house built of cards. For a few moments she lay crouching before the box in trembling terror, half covered with the ruins, her hands clasped over her eyes, striving as it seemed to shut out from her sight the hideous death which every instant threatened her. But after a couple of minutes had thus passed she opened her eyes and, raising them, saw that the root had been blown off by the explosion, and that only the bright blue sky was above her. Around, all was ruin and desolation. God, in His great mercy, and for His own inscrutable purpose, had saved the guilty wretch’s life. She rose tottering to her feet, and began to crawl out from the rubbish which surrounded her. . But scarcely had she moved, scarcely had she had time to be quite certain that her life was safe, when her thoughts reverted-to the gold. Could she leave it there? No. CoMmiclooo@