Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

nt 178 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. not release his hold, although he had received a tre-» mendous blow from his enemy with a bar of iron, His energy seemed to rise with the emergency, for the next moment he had | actually risen) ‘to the flooring of the tower. 3 2 Be “Spare me!” he groaned, while the blood from the wound in his head nearly choked him. me, and’ I'will make reparation.” 43 . Repentance comes too late when the “deed ie 18 done,”’ cried Sebastien, bitterly. With this remark, Sebastien searched for his knife, intending: to disengage his enemy’s ,hand by sever- ing it at the wrist. Not Gading it he had again recourse to the iron bary This fime, instead of striking at, the head - of Rotaldo, he began to beat his fingers as he was holding the iron framework of the tower to support himself. The means were effectual, for, by smashing the bones of the hand, the pirate was f quish his hold, and was precipitated the eminence. Being a bulky man his’ great weight accelerated his fallg ~ He descended head foremost. His skull came in contact with the sharp edge of the irom lantern, The projection shattered it at once, and his brains bespattered his victorious antagonist. | Just/ashis huge frame reached Ae ground, our hero, Roving eae tad alighted near the spotin safety. 7) @ CHAPTER LXXXII. TOUCHES UPON A SCENE IN WHICH ROVING JACK PLAYS A PROMINENT Be ae ORDEAL BY FIRE, WE must now draw the attention of the reader to a small bamboo’ cottage, situated some few mil gs distant from the spot of the late adventure. The country’ ait was delightfully embosomed in a forest of f trees. | y The vegetation was luxuriant and pees ee from its vivid’ green, The light’ balou of the house, eink: opposed to the dark foliage, offered a strong, but ati ‘the’ same time an reeablé contrast. Sie In 6n sof its chambers, e jately, fee was a single ocenpant, Of this party we can only say: _ it’ any one who comman¢ éda sufficient know- ledgeibf’ the world coule etebive, On encountering him, that they had a wéty! dan; person to deal with, and that it behoved them to be careful how they ‘proceeded i In a mutual transaction, He was apparently a man rather advanced in years, with a pair-of very broad shoulders—so broad, indeed, that few. possessed. their equal. The ‘muscular limbs, and. burly frame. could; at first, hardly be supposed. to belong to such astunited individual as he who called them master. Considering he was decidedly below the average height, his squareness of figure, aided by a loose coat of brown cloth, edged with silver, reaching half-way down, his legs, made him look almost as broad as he was long.. ,, A slight noise attracted ig aiéontign, and he started. He had been so occupied with bis thoughts that he had not heard the sound of approaching foot- steps, On turning round to the spot from whence this _ sound proceeded, he faced a young man. This vigitor was dressed in asort of semi-military attire, and wore high riding boots, He was at once recognised by the owner of the house as 4 courier. He ihitmediately advanced to the new comer, and his manner assumed»that of grace, ease, and affa- bility. “The courier then handed a letter to him. He, with the utmost determination, perused the superscription, then darted his piercing eye at his © companion, Whether it was that he perceived his uneasiness, or that his quick perception of character detected some imposition: that was likely to, be practised on — him, is immaterial. Suffice his~ Beier noticed Si countenance change and his deméanour alter to a frigid coolness. ‘You are lately arrived 1 in this country,” said he, “ Just arrived, sir.’ —* By what ship? % “ ‘Ta Belle Susanne,’ now riding inthe offing.” “That is not an English vessel.” “ No, a French frigate carrying despatches to the Portuguese governor of this island ; we sailed from the port of Marseilles six months since.” {na foreign service, how comes it that you con- yey English letters?” «The letter you haye in your hand was entrusted to my keeping by an individual who begged that I would deliverit to you privately; haying well'paid me for the confidence, I, in duty iii hay eyed as he desired me,” “How did you ciepaeen my ehas Hn” ‘‘ From the information I reeeived from the same party who gaye me your letter.’ BAT) “What sort of aman was he?” Ks Middle- aged person, ig moderate height ; by his dress I took him to C an Bac\shmas. ? ‘But his appéarance——ia “Was somewhe ub vulgar, ‘while his aspect. was very shrewd.” “He wore a hanger by his side?” | “Yes; and boré!tharks of having had a good many “desperate engagéments, for his face was covered with cuts and” ears,” “Good,” exclaimed the questioner ; “your state- ments are in accordance with facts, t at I can no longer’ ‘doubt you, and my preyiows. i ss are removed,” Though ‘the meoinet was cunepe a Small fire butming in the erate of in which the speakers were standing. He who held the letter bigest it before the smouldering Bene. 2st, place “His Object on apparent. For certain lines of writing traced in invisible ink appeared at the instant. These eagerly scanned, he thurried to his escre- toire. Penning, a few lines, he proceeded to enclose them in.acoyer. ° This coyer,he secured nly with a cra mass of black wax, “His hand almost imperce stibl trembled, as he affixed the seal. - sakes The writer of this epistle was the daring buccaneer | —Barabbas | ie ee aS ae The paper } bore the address— ee ONADEAN WiLD; “ Nenigate,"° > * oF * London x ot there was apartment . | ’ Eomichbooksreo im