Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 187: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. 207 who, if not more powerful than his followers, had certainly the appearance of being more determined, He looked more merciless than ever, and as ferocious as disappointment could make him, He still wore his.ponderous hanger by his side, with which (to use his own words) he could cleave his enemy to the chine. : The leader was, in fact, Jonathan Wild, the noted thief-taker; his companions or comrades, the officers attendant upon justice, Wild shouted to the rustic he had met. Then halted his men, The former, who had evinced some suspicion of the riders, would have taken to his heels. But fearing to disobey a personage so potent as he who hailed him, he attended to the summons, Jonathan Wild put a few brief and authoritative questions, and was satisfied with the answers he received to them. Then, pointing with his finger in the direction of the ‘Seven Elms Farm,” rode forward to it with the others who accompanied him, fn Jonathan Wild made ‘no advance to the owner of the farm, whom he found standing at. his door, but bade him come down to the bridle road, in® which, for the present, he remained. ‘Let me see,’ said the thief-taker, “you and I have met before ; your name is—”’ ‘ “Dick Peveril, old Dick Peveril, aged sixty-six, — born at Little Heath, near Hertford ; have lived in ~ the county all my life, till twelve acres of deuced—” ‘Stop, stop, farmer, this is not the information I — require; I am flying: at higher game,; You haye doubtless heard of the notorious Jack Sheppard ?” ‘Sure, sure, mon; who hasn’t heard o’ the daring blade? But what’s up wi’ ’im, now ?” ‘‘ Have you not heard ?”’ ‘‘ Feerd what ?”’ ‘That he has again escaped from the hands of justice ?” “ As, ’tis said, that the prison’s not built that can hold im,” “Tisten, farmer, and take my warning ; there are whispers that you are well affected to this male- factor.” — x ; “Volks will talk.” “Take heed that you give him no shelter, or you will find little mercy from the authorities, or Jonathan Wild.” “ Hast thee done ?” “No, another duty remains with me,” “Indeed, what be that ?” “T must make a strict examination of your house and premises.” ““ What for?” 73 “Merely to ascertain if report be true, and whether the fugitive is really concealed within them,” So saying, the thief-taker gave orders forhis men to dismount. yD: One of their number led the horses to the stables in the rear of the farm. |. And, without asking permission, supplied them with fodder standing in the neighbouring racks. A sentinel was placed at each door, and none were allowed to leave the house, Springing from his saddle, Jonathan Wild was the last to enter it, and proceeded to the very room occupied lately by the guests. Here he ordered refreshment for himfelf and \. j followers, and examined the labourers and servants © on the farm. Neither of these being entrusted with their master’s secret, could give any information satis- factory to the new-comers, The last questioned was the farmer himself, Jonathan Wild prayed him to. be seated, and, by assuming an air of.affability and concession, hoped.to. worm. out the truth from the simple- minded yeoman. ? ‘‘ Your daughter.is well favoured, farmer,” said he, commencing his insidious attack, = “ Well, measter, for the matter o’ that, she be pretty fair, I may say a comely wench,” ** She has been married.” “Yes, but till lately has—” The farmer stopped in his remark. and cast down his eyes, as if hesitating whether he was compro- mising himself; then, turning the conversation, continued, | ‘“Mayhap, you would hke a cup of wine wi’ your cold collation, -I’ll go and broach a cask.” “Not now. I will take a glass of your stoutest ale shortly, but matters of more import engross our thoughts now.” At this juncture one of Wild’s band came into the room, whispered in his ear, and then retired. “Farmer,” continued the thief-taker, ‘*I see it is painful for both of us to equivocate ; therefore, let each of us make a clean breast of it. To show you I act with sincerity, I will speak first.” | Peveril merely answered the following observa- tions by looks of surprise. “ Are you aware that you-are giving shelter to one accused, and more than probably guilty, of murder ? “You start—well you may, this : ae “ A short time since a gentleman arrived from abroad, | ‘‘He brought with him a favourite: horse, the faithful companion of his travels. “ On his arrival in London, he put up at a cer- tain tavern, bearing the sign of, the ‘ Bell Inn; and located in the suburb of Bermondsey, “He entered the building with a large|sum: of money—which he intended for a particular pur- pose—and never left it. “From that day to this he has never, been heard of, but within the last few-minutes his horse has been found in your stable, ‘“T may be wrong in suspecting you of connivance, but my public duty compels me to sift the affair to the bottom,” F At. the conclusion. of the discourse, the farmer raised his hands to heayen, and appeared buried in deep reflection. c ) “Tt can never be,’ he muttered to himself—“ she © would never give shelter to an assassin and thief beneath her father’s roof.”’ mee “‘T have succeeded,” cried Jonathan Wild; “th tongue, thy looks, betray thee,*old man. Go an fetch your keys—I will haye every, part of the house searched, and every hidden recess opened — to me.” ‘‘ There are no such places, that I know of,’”’ said the farmer, trembling between doubt and fear. “Thou liest !?? continued the ruffian, fiercely. “ Refuse to show them, and heated iron to thy feet shall extort the secret.” rien His companion bowed, but was in such’a state of trepidation as to be unable to offer any remark, “JT will begin my search with this chamber,” said Jonathan Wild. , ni He glanced around the room, and peered into My story is briefly -every crevice during his scrutiny. But nothing could the crafty man discoyer by the course he had adopted. The farmer breathed. more freely, and began to think all danger was over, when he saw that the