Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

A kick in the ribs from Fielder’ sent: him rolling ! into the ditch hard by, where»he comfortably slept | till morning revealed to him his singularly strange resting-place. “'Tis better as it is,” said Tom King, as he wit- nessed the issue of the struggle; ‘strong. waters might have made Joe troublesome, and we want no quarrelling now. ; zis ) . Nat Rose and myself,” continued’ the speaker, will draw up in yonder‘nook close ;' Tom Fielder, you take your stand here, in'the shade of this elm ; | thus this gallant of high degree will stand between us before he is aware that we:are waiting to pay our respects'to him,” | Each took up the position allotted to him. The expected trayeller.was soon within bowshot of the highwaymen, who awaited his coming. Boldly he urged on his homeward journey, mounted on a swift and fiery courser, Suddenly it received a check, and reared up on its haunches, for the hand of a stranger had seized the bridle: . The rider was almost thrown “backwards, but being a good horseman, managed*to keep in the saddle. ; ‘Friend or foe?” he cried, placing his disen- | gaged hand on his pistol. “That entirely depends upon yourself,’’ replied ‘Fielder, still holding the horse’s head, “Your words are an enigma—what do you require of me?” | “Your money—or your life.” “J will part with neither but with a desperate struggle, as you may find to your cost. I am on an errand of importance, and cannot part with my money.” _“We must have it!” said the other highwaymen, issuing from their concealment, “Be ruled by me, good sir,” remarked Tom King, with courteousness and affability, “ concede, I beg; to our wishes ; we merely require your purse, watch, and that diamond ring that sparkles so brightly in the moonshine on your finger.” “Ttell you once and for all that I will never yield them while I breathe,’ exclaimed the traveller, defiantly ; “there are three on your side ; Tam alone, still [ defy you.” a “You are a brave man,” said Tom King, “and I regret to put your courage to the test, but stern necessity compels me and my comrades to take toll.” . “ Beware how you attempt your purpose. I am armed, and I promise to shoot him through the head who advances to rob me. Whois bold enough to be that one?” Not another word passed. | ; There was a flash, and a leaden bullet leaped from the tube through the air, and embedded itself in a neighbouring oak. The traveller had dexterously evaded the shot of the highwayman, who, to his chagrin, found he had missed his aim. “aalli a eeeeiiente i The report of the pistol again startled the af- frighted steed, and it plunged forward as if it had received a powerful electric shock. The sudden action of the animal caused him to snap the bridle whicli Fielder still held in his hand, and his master was free to depart. This he did, taking advantage of the momentary amazement of the highwaymen, who had been wit- | nesses of the late maladventure. With the swiftness of the wind the uncontrolled horse and its rider dashed on a wild and reckless | career, Leaving their pursuers far behind, The pace of the goaded, beast. might.be termed truly, terrific, The road is straightforward, and success seems to crown its triumph. The eyes of the steed are dilated, and sparkle like globes of dazzling light. While the nostrils, expanded, snorted forth a volume of smoke emitted, as it were, from some hidden fire, | | ee lea oe Shot-after shot is fired after the flying fugitive. The bullets whistle through the air within ,an inch of their mark. z9 4115 ig- hoo i Fleetly speed the highwaymen, ‘but fleeter still the traveller. ¥ The pursuers are outwitted. And the pursued vanished as a:phantom. This point of the story now brings us to an ex- tensive moor, fringed by distant woodland and picturesque country. It is called Blackheath. - The reader must bear in mind that this spot, so familiar to the holiday folks, in former days bore a very different aspect from that which it enjoys in the present. It was then only a very wide waste, surrounded by bogs, and in many parts almost a morass, In this unfrequented region the traveller and his horse had arrived, ' He had far out-distanced his followers. And now slackened the speed of the jaded animal that bore him. He had scarcely advanced three hundred paces on the desolate road when the mist arising from the oozy earth enveloped the path in a thin, but heavy fog, In a short time after he had become involved in the.dim cloud, he ncticed that another horseman was making his way towards him. He was apparently coming from an opposite direction to that by which he had himself come. At the distance he could not discern the features of the rider. ) But his figure was so far discernible. And the traveller at once recognised that it was one of the party who had so lately assailed him. His first impulse was to shoot the man at once, His second consideration to resérve his fire, and await contingences. Mounted on a good charger, the highwayman was soon near his side. | | Neither riders essayed to speak. | Tach kept apart on either side of the turf that edged the roadway. . The traveller held on his course. The highwayman did the same. The former fancied in the imperfect light that he discovered in the lineaments of his companion a resemblance to one he had met before. _» SuperStitious awe at length aroused him from the sluggish stupor into which he had fallen. He put spurs to his horse. And galloped onwards. : The moment he did so a bullet grazed his saddle. Exasperated, and staggered, the traveller returned the shot. With what effect; let the next chapter show.