Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

a er ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. SoCO 223 ee ee eee eee Blueskin, “now, here is. a diamond necklace, and on your fingers are rings, sufficient to satisfy the most rapacious robber that evercricd ‘Stand and deliver’ to a noble damsel.” “Take them, they are yours,” cried. Violet Tremaine, “and now suffer me to pass without further interruption.” “I cannot suffer you to part thus,” replied, _ Blueskin. “Consider, we have scarcely met, and besides, my comrades may not be satisfied that you have given up all you possess.” | “You have everything of value.” ‘“ Not so ; this cross of gold and ring,” exclaimed the robber, catching the arm of Violet, and eying the ornament that hung suspended from her neck, ‘‘ Nay !” replied firmly the weeping lady, “ that you shall never have. Depriye me of the cross,” she continued, “ and life itself would be comparatively worthless.” That’s hard, too,” growled Blueskin; “ but you must consider. our necessitiés, fair lady’; we really must have it.” So saying, the robber, without further ceremony, unclasped and gave the golden cross into the. hands of the treasurer—Simon Smut. That worthy, having ogled the ornament with’ a peculiar glance, placed the same into the thieves’ strong box—his breeches pocket. “ Oh, in mercy, take not that!” exclaimed the anxious Violet. ‘ Let me but have that memento, and all the wealth I possess shall be at your dis- posal.” At that moment, attracted by the cries of the lady, a man had advanced to the spot, It was Jack Sheppard. His rich highwaymen’s habiliments were travel- soiled and dirty, and his whole appearance was that of one who had suffered much from fatigue and great exhaustion. Suddenly bursting in upon his lawless com- panions, he levelled a pistol at the head of the fore- most who had adyanced towards Violet Tremaine. “He rushes.on death who moves a step for- ward |!” exclaimed Jack Sheppard. The action had been so unexpected, that’ the whole. party seemed one and all to be overcome by surprise. Violet Tremaine was the first to recover. She uttered a' scream as she recognized the features of the highwayman. Dio. Ti He started at the summons, and encountered her glance. nae ; Jack Sheppard conjectured little who was before him, for Violet had retained her veil during: her interview with the banditti, and consequently had remained unrecognised by them, With that quickness of perception which ai once - supplies information on emergency, he felt that th lady before him was in danger. Dignified, ‘and without betraying any emotion, he compelled his confederates at’ once ‘to’ retire, which they did, with little grace and less satis- faction, | 7 Jack Sheppard, nevertheless, retained his com- posure, and abided the issue of events with his arms folded on his‘breast. — | After ‘a pause, when’ alone, Violet Tremaine spoke, and addressed Jack Sheppard. “You; sir, who appéar to possess the power to enforce your commands, I thank you from my heart. Your followers,” she ' continued, “ have stripped me of all, and without a murmur have I yielded to them ; but that cross, of little value to others, is to me inestimable, ’tis the hope of my life, the only link to a destiny most cherished, yet most sad, Let the relic be restored to me, I implore you.” “You appear to be anxious for the bauble of which you have been robbed?” returned Jack Sheppard, coldly. : ‘More so than you can believe,” answered Violet, with emotion. ‘‘ You seem young ; your heart, has not had time to harden, so listen to me, If the being you ought to love most in this wide world were lost to you—a father, a mother, a child—and you had alone this proof to recognise this being, say, would you not cling to retain the treasure ?”’ “With my best heart blood,’ replied Jack Sheppard, “and my life is already forfeited. for an attempt of the same sort last night; the token . shall at once be given back to you.” | . With these words Jack Sheppard summoned Simon Smut to his side. Taking the cross from the startled treasurer with a stern and stedfast gaze, he returned it to the anxious lady. ; ats “A thousand thanks,” she exclaimed ; ‘this generous action merits a reward and ——”’ ' ‘Since you consider yourself, madam, obliged t me,’ replied the highwayman, “I offer. you , the means of discharging the debt due to Jack. Sheppard.” , “Jack Sheppard, the man who——” | “‘ Has restored you your cross. I would ask you to justify the poor outcast, as far.as may be, in that society to which you are returning; to tell, the great ones of the land that you have made ac- quaintance with the execrated Jack Sheppard, and that you could receive him without blushing even in your own mansion.” “ Your words, like your actions, are not those of a robber, like one brought up by chance, devoted to crime, perhaps even by; the authors of his being,’’ exclaimed Violet, still: preserving the incognito, ‘‘T am as chance left, me,” sighed Jack Sheppard, thoughtfully. “I “Yet, would you live in arms against society ?” “ Say, rather, why should 1 do otherwise,?..What boon should I ask of society—a name which it, has refused me from my.. birth, a, family, which has doubtlessly rejected. me as.a disgrace? Society has treated me as a foe,” continued Jack Sheppard. “ Are we not even? _A.son of a felon, its laws have made wart against me; destitute I have made war against the laws.” sy - an ** Hatred for hatred !’” : cof “Tf ever I returned to its bosom it. will be to combat. it with greater advantage. ‘Tis hard,.I grant, to be hanged, but harder. still to die. of hunger.”’ “You renounce, then, all human probity ?” “Our probity-is in, sharing, yours in, accumu- lating. It is very easy for the rich to be just and submit to laws which they have instituted for themselves against the poor,” continued Jack Sheppard. ‘Those who roll in revenues: and, eat from plates of gold know not the toil that some- times furnishes an honest meal. What is. to.be done, then, in a society which robs because: you are poor? You must rob to become. rich ; you must rebel openly, and obey only, instinct, like us knights of the road.” ear ‘Violet. shuddered at the callousness with which the highwayman spoke... _ ., «The life of a senator,” he cried, ‘is less, brave but more seeure. Virtue and.crime haye been long only words. é neither good nor evil, but which, becomes, according to language, a murder.or a victory.” | “To take money on the highway,” said, Jack comicoooks To kill a man is an. act of itself,,, 1 | } " i]