Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

never part company till what it contains has passed into the hands of their just owner. Look to my horse—he deserves all your care—and I will repay it, if you will give a little extra service on him,” For a second time the trayeller left the stable, leaving as before Jack Sheppard its only human occupant. ~~ ” oe, AtheA thousand marks!” said he, “that would be worth risking life for. Ishould be a man, if I had only half thé money,” Pyare _ Here he seemed lost in reverie, and alike msensible of every object around him. ) _ Sitting with both his hands clasped on his knees, he rested on the same for their support, and con- tinued musing. ) iy poe wae face became more fully revealea— al dinated and earnest— and his deportment. changed to boldness mingled with a reckless air, _ “Tl do it |” he exclaimed. | " As Jack Sheppard uttered the words, another person peeped in at the door and cautiously entered the stable. ! 19 - : ae i . His footfall was so light as not to attract. the notice of his companion, | | _He advanced towards the horse that had lately borne the traveller, and with the same silent. step as hitherto, | a2 osely regarding the quadruped, he exclaimed, ‘Pm right ; that’s the very horse—I’ll. be sworm toit! To think that I should, track him all the , St this moment the stranger met) the: gaze.of Jack Sheppard. 2% UIGTO : igie-aiid of fed _- Ah, the, ostler.!”? he continued; “then, ‘ben darkmans,” help me out of this dilemma,” t Obscurity reigned.in an-instant, The sickly flame of a candle stuck in.a sconce against the stable. wall had been extinguished by the intruder, who at; once and immediately found himself in the grasp of an adversary. His rushing was as quick:and unexpected as that of the Indian who dashes ow his foe. 0) 209 Jack Sheppard, as ‘most are aware, wa$ a man. of great personal strength, square-set, slightly bandy, with a\frame like the “fod of strength,” Hercules, ‘His assault? was energetic, and the struggle desperate; 2 0" - Cit sy “a * Phough his rival ‘was of slighter proportion, and considerably taller, his superiority in this respect availed him’ Tittle, and at length he declared him- «self vanquished, © pry ance "Hach ‘panted for breath, Para _ | After a pause, Jack addressed the assailed with _ a contemptuous retort. o * Holloa, friend, what’s your business here ?” _* “Business? ‘Oh, I only ‘come for pleasure, Strolling’ about ; just looked in and saw——” “Saw what'?” exclaimed Jack, with impatience. ‘’Tis he, PY Swear,” answered the other, joy- _ fully, recognising the voice that addressed him, age Why don’t you, speak, you say you/saw-———”’, _, “One of the prettiest rascals, in, his; Majesty’s _ dominions, if he hadn’t deserted the trade. of a gen- tleman to take up, that of a sorry wielder of curry _ combs and brooms of birch, and .doffing his 'cap _ and crying ‘God save you, sir,’ for,apaltry, groat, py thavelleres, instead of boldly bidding; them: to _ stand and deliver on the king’s highway.” _ ., Jack Sheppard ‘relighted the candle, placed it in i the horn lantern, and held it) up to the stranger’s ak@nt ain) ol tres sei off You seem to know me; for my own safety I must know you. Who the devil isthe man?” ‘No devil at all, Jack ; only one of his favorite LOA A LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LL EC IE ea, eee ee Bppe who has been sent hete by his special fayour ny 20 j As T live, Tom King |” “Yes,” replied Tom King, for he, indeed, it was, once better known by the sobriquet of the ‘* Gen- tleman Highwayman,” and, if fame belie him not, the master of three mistresses and as many nags. __ “Tom, you were the model of infidelity,” “Aye, and that’s a failing the fair sex can never overlook ; one of the Dalilahs, ina fit of jealousy, peached, and, but for my prad, should have taken my leap from the ladder,” S cs, Rie Thever ride backwards up Holborn 1 =33 . ‘‘So my pretty little gipsy tells me, I’m to meet King Death by the hand of ‘a friend ; there’s some comfort in that reflection. But come, we’ve more weighty matters to think of than. the casting of nativities, I guess the reason I haye found you in this queer slum,” : “JI shall come out of it with flying ,colours soon, Tom, Jam only waiting my time to send Jonathan on all fours and fit him for the surgeon’s knife, I only want——” What??? . * A little ready rhino,” : ‘‘ You shall soon have a cheque on my bankers.” Tom King pointed to the traveller’s horse signifi- cantly as he made his last. observation. “Hh! you don’t; mean?” said Jack Sheppard, starting, and taken by surprise at: the cool way in "s which his comrade had hinted. his amicable inten- tions, ‘“‘ Where are the saddle-bags?”’ _ ‘*The what—the saddle-bags?, Um !—that’s,sin- gular—they are the very things I’ve been thinking of. for the. last. half-hour, What:do you; know about them?” “T—T know all about them,” said Tom King, with his usual imperturbable freedom from passion, “they contain a thousand golden marks ; it is they that have drawn me to your rendezvous,” “The devil doubt you!” ‘You have’ an indistinct notion; Jack, of that social law called *meum'et tunm.,’” “Fortunately, I have got over-such ridiculous scruples,” . “Good, then the money must:be ours,” ** Aye, but how?” ‘“‘ Hasy enough,” ‘Tm at a non-plus,? “ The owner of the coin sleeps here to-night,” “‘ And, goes at daylight in: the morning—” ‘‘ He must never go.” : The significant glance and peculiar sang froid of Tom King, as he uttered these words, staggered, for the nonce, his more susceptible. confederate, who soon, however, recovered his equanimity. “ Our prey once mounted on that horse,’”’ continued the “gentleman -highwayman,”’ indicating, ‘the trayeller’s horse, which now eyed the ruffians, “and fairly off, may defy Satan and and all his imps to stop him,” cos “JT see you'intend to find means to: delay his journey.” ‘« Precisely so. “ What is it?” “These stables are! at a convenient distance from the house.” , Well.” 9 | | “ Nobody will be stirring at the early’ hour you say he starts. ’Tis then we must strike’ ‘the blow.” | -! Jack ‘Sheppard’s' livid’ cheek now took a more ghastly hue. I’ve a plan in my*head,.” Comicooao <SHIGO) (