Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

age | < 180 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. oe LE CHAPTER LXXXIILI. THE DESPERATE FLIGHT OF ROVING JACK WITH VIOLET TREMAINE —OUR HERO'S ADVENTURE AT THE POSADO OR PORTUGUESE WINE HOUSE —HOW IT TURNED OUT AND WHAT CAME OF IT, Across the back of his bounding courser, Roving Jack flung the almost lifeless body of the rescued Violet, Tremaine. Fleet as the wind he rushed from the spot. The scene of his triumph and his woe. His desperate flight was attended by a brave band of ;Papuans (the natives of the island), who, crushed by the oppression of their rulers, had aided in his daring enterprise. Following these in pursuit were the military and Portuguese authorities, The whole country was now alarmed by the cries and by the tramp of horses. Men from every point rushed into the road to seize the foremost fugitive, Roving Jack, who bore the senseless Violet ever in his arms, His fierce looks, furious steed, and the impetus with which he pressed onward, ‘quailed those who had the temerity to offer to stop his headlong career. His blood spins through his veins, and mounts to his brain, as he and his peerless burden skim the earth, Glade, waste, and woodland are past, and appear and vanish as in a vision. The horse and rider are driven forward. : The flints sparkle beneath the goaded beast’s oofs. Roving Jack, having far out-distanced his foes, now turned to welcome his friends—the brave natives whose succour had so materially contri- buted to crown his efforts to save Violet with success. They were nowhere to be seen, They could never have deserted him in this moment of peril. He must have mistaken the road leading to their encampment in the forest. In turning his steed’s head to pursue his Hard ous journey the animal stumbled, and injured its leg. “ Cursed chance,” exclaimed our hero. ‘Could anything be more unfortunate? The horse is so disabled that he cannot stir an inch, and to proceed on foot is certain destruction. What can I do to save her now?” he continued, despairingly looking upon Violet. ‘ There is but one course ; I must resort once more to stratagem, and heaven grant I may succeed in circumventing those who are still pursuing us.’ Not far Pate from the spot upon which Roving Jack was standing, he perceived a solitary dwel- ling. It appeared lonely and unoccupied. But on a second glance he found he was mis- taken. The grape branch hanging over the door, pro- claiming it to be a “posado,” or Portuguese wine- house, i now hesitated whether he should enter it or no The appearance of Violet, who had partially recovered, determined him on adopting the former course, In a few minutes he arrived at the isolated tenement, i The aspect of the place did not much please our ero. For all the windows were closed with shutters except one, An old bay casement fronting the unfrequented road. He again looked at, Violet, hesitating whether it. would be safe to trust her in this strange abode, when a man issued from its door, He was the ostensible landlord, ; A. peculiar sensation came over Roving Jack, as he met his face. Some ,confused ideas came across his mind that he had seen it before. When and where for the life of him he could not tell. However, there was no help for him now, Violet was sinking from fatigue and want of food. And he must trust to chance whether he had acted with prudence in confiding her. to the mysterious character this landlord appeared to be. He was taciturn in disposition. Ugly in appearance. And had he been tall, herculean in proportion. After a pause he ventured to speak. “A nasty day fora journey of pleasure, senor,” “Tt is not one of pleasure.” ‘< Business, perhaps?” “ No—necessity. We have been: attacked by 2 party of hostile natives, who sprung | out upon us. from the neighbouring forest.” ‘‘ You were obliged to fly ?” “ Yes,” returned Roving Jack, ‘and must ost you to afford us food, shelter, and. , Protection, tall you can send for further assistance.” The landlord, feigning to believe the tale: our hero had invented, ushered him and Violet into the house for entertainment. His sinister smile and malignant grin owed that he had caleulated upon some advantage from his guests, and that he meant to take the earliest opportunity of profiting by it. Violet and Jack were then conducted intoa dingy room, The closed shutters of which were ongned on their entrance. Here they ordered some omelettes and wine, and sat down to wait for them, While noticing the melancholy aspect of the chamber, Jack could not help also noticing that his host would every now and then return to the room and open a cupboard. Of course he concluded that he was engaged thus while preparing the meal. His’ appearance and disappearance was always attended with a furtive glance. After this proceeding the mysterious man oul open the outer door of the dwelling, go out, and remain standing, as if in expectation of somebody. These things considered, at length Roving Jack took it into his head that ‘the landlord; meant foul play, In such an emergency, how could he act ?,. To desert Violet was out of the question. To risk his own life would be at once to sacrifice Violet’s, While engrossed with these reflections, the land- lord appeared for the last time. He bore in his hand two plates, containing the omelettes. These he put on the table, without the ceremony of laying a cloth. He next proceeded to produce some bread from a dirty tray that had remained under a dirty cloth at the further end of the room. “Senor,” said he, ‘did not order what wine he would like, so I have acted on my, own Fes On SUMAN and brought red, Gomichbook FOm