Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ‘‘ Who’s there?” A gentle voice replied, sotas Nelly oe, | At the sight cf Paul, every vestige of colour left her cheek, and she flung her arms round. his neck in an instant, ' , | - . Fysband, dear husband,” she screaméd, “we meet again, and the hope, deferred that has borne me. up. through so many difficulties at, last is realized.” Pe : ‘Yes, Nelly,” said Paul, ‘like you, 1 ,put: my faith in true affection—when the blast shrieked and howled through the rigging, and the faces of messmates grew pale with fear, I have thought of you, and gn angel whispered hope jand comfort in myear. . \ Trrare “When the word was passed for action;, the thought of thee has seemed to turn the-bullets from my. breast. | “ When I crept to my hammock with the blood of. the.foe on my hand, I,have called upon my angel, wife, and mingled Nelly’s, name with m prayers to the Great.Commander. , “Do! you remember this locket?” said: the sea- man, taking it, attached to a black riband, from ‘his véck “twas your gift on our last meeting. I have never parted! with it) night. or day for one instant, since I received it from your hands,” Just then there was a noise of: hasty footsteps without, i Ellen tottered to the entrance of the room, but ere she'could reach it her strength utterly failed her, and she sank upon a chair, “What ails you?” her husband cried, springing towards her. ‘“A*sudden faintness—it will pass off soon,” Another instant the door flew open, and a man, énveloped in the ample folds of a cloak, rushed in. _,“ Ellen, ’tis as I suspected,” he exclaimed, “ our purstiers are upon our track, You must afford me concéalment, or I shall be arrested.” , “ Arrested !” cried the others, who were now more startled than they had been at the abrupt appear- ance Of the intruder. ‘Yes, but I will set him free.” Ellen seemed ‘to regain her strength while utter- ing these words, as suddenly as she had lost it. — “Stay, wench,” replied the farmer, “let’s look afore we leap. Dost know what art @oing 7—to harbour a ‘nalefactor be against all rule and license.” ‘This is no time for explanation, farmer,” replied Ellen Peveril, “moments are more. precious than jewels, You shall know all when the danger is | past ; confide in me.” ‘Aye, lass,” replied the seaman, ‘I never yet doubted thee,:nor will I now. How can we serve this, stranger,?”’ “By giving him concealment for afew short hours.”’ | “Tf that be thee desire, Nell, thee wish -will shortly. be gratified. Listen ; there be nooks and corners in this old building, now standing for two centuries, that would, puzzle old Beelzebub and all his imps to find out; this be one of them.” The farmer had no sooner, spoken than he ad- vaneed;to one of the japanned closets standing in the room and opened the door of the same. This ; closet., was larger than the others, and reached, to the ceiling. Carefully remoying the shelves. within it he then proceeded to touch.a spring concealed in the cary- ing of the cabinet, The instant he did.so the back part receded, and | | disclosed a passage constracted in the wall sufficient to. hold a man. | yt Seco “This will be close quarters,” said the stranger, ‘Hut I have been put to greater straits than this in my time, and can easily accommodate myself to circumstances.” . | ey “« Thee hast not come yet to our hiding-place.” Thé speaker then touched a second spring, as ingeniously contrived as the first, when an aperture, apparently blockéd up by stoné-work, was exposed ‘Within was 4 chamber garnished with necessary appendages, — I “In this apartment thee must lie secreted,” con- tinued the farmer; “we will victual it, and thou Ganst hold fortress against enemy for a week.” “ Before a seventh of that timé I ‘trust’to be far out of harm’s way.” itt The stranger then entered the assured retreat, which was without delay at once closed upon him. Many anxious thoughts passed through the breast of Ellen. (oa She knelt and prayed to avert the threatened calamity. . ~*~ VILE Comforted, she arose, and, with a smiling face, exclaimed, bar. AT DT ‘Now I am fully prepared to meet our foes.” ‘oes? What dost mean, wench?” asked the farmer. “Surely a pretty face like thine can have none such.” © . As «The companion of my flight,” replied Ellen, ‘has incurred the enmity of the noted ‘thief-taker, Jonathan Wild.”’ | ry “ Jonathan Wild !”’ exclaimed Paul ; do you expect him here ?” . “Every minute.” ‘So much the better. He and I have scores to “avast, lass, | settle ; and it strikes me forcibly that he'll be the | wrong side.of the purser’s book. Ill cut and run. Belay, don’t believe I’m going to turn tail upon the privateering swab. But as he uses hot shot, Pll betake me to ambush, in order to return him his own fire,’’ With these words Paul Peveril left the apartment. CHAPTER XCII. THE ARRIVAL OF THE OFFICERS AT THE POUR LANES’ END—A SEARCH FOR THE FUGITIVE— HOW JONATHAN WILD DISCOVERED THE DBHYICE AND HOW AGAIN THIBF-TAKER'S "METHOD OF ENFORCING COM- PLIANCE TO HIS WILL, ONE of old Peveril’s labourers was returning to his cottage late in the evening. He had arrived at.a place called the Four Lanes’ End, an open space, about two miles distant from the farm at which he worked. | Whistling from. want, of thought, and pursuing his way homewards, he was suddenly. roused by the trampling of horses. ro me | Looking to, the, spot. from whence the sound seemed to proceed, he distinguished a body. of horsemen advancing at a rapid trot. ~ Their number, as far as he could guess by a hasty glance, was ten or twelve persons, At first he took them to be a troop of mounted soldiers, for one and, all of the party were formid- Their dress, however, upon a closer inspection, forbade any such persuasion of mind. ‘ee They were all powerful men, headed by a leader — +-—_ HE WAS THWARTED—THE ’