Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

60 At the risk of death she must yet stop to fill her poekéts with the stolen treasure. She stooped down again, and busied herself with the box. But the lid defied all her efforts to raise it. A falling beam had jammed it down tightly. She wrenched and tugged at it in vain. The box was jammed as tightly among the mass of fallen brick and stone surrounding and half covering it as though it formed a portion of a solid rock. No, she must abandon her prize after all. Rising, therefore (who can say how reluctantly?), she crawled out of the ruins and crept away, fearful lest she might be’ seen and questioned respecting what had taken place. Indeed, she now could hear the voices of the cab- men who had brought down the party to the scene of this terrible tragedy. They were climbing about among the ruins, search- ing for the policemen and the coiners. In vain, alas! for the ruins had crushed all to death. . ghee ie “ ¥lo-vod # At the stillest hour of the night let us now take the reader to some other ruins, in Park Lane. Here two ghostly shadows flitting to and fro search for a secret subterranean passage. One of them is Clara. The other is Edgar Deville. This time she is more successful, With her companion’s aid she effects an entrance into the secret passage. Pursuing the way which Clara and her victim Madge had followed when going upon the fatal jour- ney from which the latter never returned, they came at last to the door of the cell where the hideous crime had been perpetrated. ; 7 CHAPTER XXIV. ROSE A CAPTIVE—THE DISGUISE—THER PLOT— THE FRAUD REVEALED —THE ATTEMFTED Es-: CAPE—AGAIN A PRISONER. WHEN Rose Mortimer awoke upon the following morning she reflected a while upon the many startling incidents which had concluded the eventful yesterday. She sprang from her couch in a state of fright, and looked anxiously about her. The terrible words which the old man and his younger, but no more scrupulous, companion had spoken now began to fill her with renewed alarm. Upon the preceding day the .stirring events which had brought her into contact with them had so com- pletely riveted her attention that she could not give their speeches full importance. Now she began to ponder over their injunctions, and the threats of terror with which they had been accompanied. What, then, could be the nature of this real life comedy in which she was destined to play ? Surely ‘something wild and unnatural, or they would not have used such severe measures to prevent all possibility of her escaping. She looked about her anxiously. . The door, she could see at a glance, was fast closed. < However, some means of escaping from this alarm- ing thraldom must certainly present itself, if she kept continually upon the look-out. She now became aware of one startling fact. Her clothes had. been removed ! There place, however, had’been supplied by a com- plete suit of male attire, ROSE MORTIMER 5; OR, This, then, was the explanation of some portion of the drama in which she was called upon to play. She examined the clothes attentively, and found them to be perfectly new, and of elegant material and make. For an instant she contemplated arraying herself in these garments. But presently the thought flashed across her mind that she might be unwillingly abetting a foul con~- spiracy, and she determined to resist this preliminary step. But how to act? This was a most difficult question to answer. However, she was spared much trouble upon this head, for within half an hour she heard footsteps pause by her chamber door. | With one bound she was at the door, grasping the handle with both her hands. But here she did her detainers a slight injustice. No violence need have been anticipated for the pre- sent. All that they wished her to do was to put on tho male attire with which they had provided her, There was arap upon the door, *¢ Are you waking yet ?” It was the voice of the younger man. Its striking tones were not to be mistaken. There was a sweetness about it, which, however, from the associations, struck most unpleasantly upon Rose’s ear. While she was meditating the advisability of re- plying the young man grew impatient, and repeated his question. ‘* Rose Mortimer,’’ he called, rather louder than before, ‘‘ are you awake yet?” 74 Yes.” ‘* Are you ready to depart ?” ** Where ?” ‘You answer my question by putting another. Answer me.”’ ‘“‘T cannot say if I am ready to depart, unless J am acquainted with the destination.” “That cannot affect you in any way whatever, Rose Mortimer.” ‘Then I refuse compliance.’”’ ** You cannot !” “‘Cannot?” repeated Rose, indignantly. do.’’ ** Foolish girl !”’ ‘“ And I warn you that unless my clothes are im- mediately restored to me, and I am allowed to de- part, I shall at the very earliest opportunity re- present my treatment at your hands to the nearest magistrate.”’ After this desperate speech, which had called for all Rose’s courage to utter it, she paused in silence to wait his reply. None came. out effect ! Another instant, howeve and this pleasant illu- sion was most effectually dispelled. She heard a key placed in the lock ! : It was turned, and the sound struck terror to her eart. ‘* You hear that ?”’ demanded the man from without. ““T do,” faltered Rose. ‘‘I pray you—” “Fear nothing. No harm is intended vou; but I would have you understand how useless it is for you to attempt to resist us.” . ‘* By what authority ?”” began poor Rose, in indig- nation. ‘Pah !” said the man. ‘* Oblige me by using such despatch as possible. Time presses.’’ “ Nay, I Then her defiance had not been with- And then, upon Rose Mortimer still denying his authority, the door was partially opened. Rose gave a faint shriek,