Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

130 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. scene, walked his horse gently down a fairy glen, and looked about him with a sense of calm enjoy- ment, But this peaceful feeling did not last long. Soon the furies of remorse roused from their slumber and tore his heart. He sighed, and then, as if to drive away care, he began to sing some wild hizhwayman’s song, He had a remarkably fine voice, and the dim words echoed. back its notes right merrily, After awhile he changed the tune to a soft and tender melody—he gasped and bit his lip till it bled. “Agnes!” he muttered, hoarsely. ‘But why should I think of her? Oh, I have been a miserable wretch | I might have laughed at the scorn of those who spurned me in my ruin, poor gnats of an hour's sunshine! I might have died! But now it is too late; to the last day I shall be branded Cra a common thief, a highway robber |” Lashed by the raging demons in his hens he : urged on his gallant horse. He muttered fiercely, and shook his fist as 2 D some imaginary foe. Then. again he drew the rein. “ Pah} Tam mad |” he cried, ‘‘ What's done cannot be undone. No. ‘Consider it no& so deeply.’ I will not. Dama the world and allits belongings! Hurrah for the road !” Tom King's despair found utterance in speech, He almost shouted in his vehemence. But conscious Nature alone heard the bitter, despairing cry of his heart. Wh hy did I not turn soldier?” he muttered. “ Good’sooth, I am no coward; I am reckless of danger from my boyhood upwards, I am no mon- grel-bred ruff, but descended of an honourable family ; and, ‘zounds, was there nothing for it but to turn thief?” He groaned. in a harsh voice. After atime he resumed his soliloquy m a musing tone. ‘‘T wonder, now, with. such thoughts and con- victions, I can lead the life I do. But, there ! hunger is acruel tyrant, passion a seductive mis- tress, and man is a chameleon that takes the colour of the objects that he cleayes to. Out of my brain, maddening thonghts } leave me at peace for one hour.” Tom King spurred his horge savagely. Then, relenting of such thoughtless cruelty, as the galled beast. curvetted wand dashed desperately onwards, he stroked her mane, with murmured caresses, Faint and afar, watted by the night wind, the sound of horses” 8 horne to his ear, He caught the sound: — His thought was of J onathan Wild. Fury raged in his bosom. ‘‘That infernal cacodemon shall not take me!” he exclaimed, aloud, clutching his pistol-butts, “Tf I could kill him I should be satisfied,” He drew rein, and listened, The trampling of hoofs was now plainly heard, cnd the sound came louder and nearer, ‘I will hide behind the trees and fire on him as he passes !”’ The daring fellow had almost determined to carry out this purpose, At imminent risk of being recaptured he slackened his pace, p Lousae and louder sounded the trampling of the oofs Shouts were borne faintly through the wood. . “T might fail,” thought the highwayman, “I will take some other opportunity of glutting my vengeance, He shook the rein and urged the mare to the top of her speed, The aspect of the country now changed, A long range of wooded hills skirted the horizon, from which lower elevations spread out in all directions. The road through the forest was, for the distance of nearly a mile, as straight and clear as a park avenue, And, worse than all, a steep hill was before him. But recklessly he plunged forward, and bravely his 2 Eallans courser breasted uhe steep ‘ascent, CHAPTER LIX, —— _ THE FRUITLESS PURSUIT OF TOM KING, TaN ol ee G every muscle, the highwayman’s gal. a ~ sf lant | ed went toiling up the slope. * Pallyho ! yoicks! tallyho!” ‘The: shout, as of a fox-hunter cheering the hounds, caused Tom ‘King to turn in the saddle. He beheld his pursuers sweeping along in a cloud far down in the vale below, and: Ba gps up the side of the hill. “ Dam’me,” laughed Tom King, 4 i \ re is almost as much fun and excitement im being ‘hu nted as in ae x 7 hunting. I'll warrant now, a cunning oldfox when he bilks the whole pack feels a RO that almost repays him for the peril.” <7 ‘““Yoicks! There he i is | Hold on you vagabond |” roared the hearty farmer, waving 5 his whip. ‘ Hark- away, you dog! well @ ke ye: “ Tally—ho—ho b:Fesp his voice. " Hackawoy ae -footed lags And off he swept farough the whistling wind as swift as a carrier pigeon. Over the brow of the hill. Down, right down at-™ ul pace he rushes. Still maintaining the same headlong pace ho Eniples along the road, level in this part for about a mile, Again he casts a look behind him. The old fox-hunter, outstripping the rest, comes bounding down the hill-side, making the old woods ring with his cheery shout. | Then one by on ond the of giher riders come bobbing | over the summit of the hi The road winds, ~ “ Forwaad; forward, my bonnie lass !” cries Tom, - patting his noble steed. « Harkaway, my beauty | if I can but find some by-road or bridle-path we'll soon give these yelping ban-dogs the go-by.” “A highwayman! a highwayman! Stop thief! Stop him !” roared the pursuers. Off flies Lightfoot like a speeding arrow. Soon she has distanced her pursuers, The shouts come fitfully, but even more faintly, in the breeze, The man-hunters are lost to view by reason’ ‘of the windings of the road and the intricacies of the ores Tom King looks on either hand. . * ony each side, the road is walled by steep, high anks, LOD TROT Tom King has some thoughts of ‘inte the wood. E : P P ara aoe But the trees are so thickly: set; and’their tranks ed Tom, at the top of ome on, you : seams om zou I game fe ! Eg —_ Gom lebooks ~ com