Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. 239 a whether he should speak to (what appeared in his view) an apparition. At length, by a forced laugh, he broke silence, _ “Tf you are arobber, you had better seek game on the highway or elsewhere, for, by my faith, I have spent my last rap on the tavern table of the ‘Cross Shovels,’ and have not the ghost of a coin left in my pockets.” | The hand of the figure darted from the cloak that was stretched over it, and grasping the high- wayman, shouted in his ear— “Tom King !” “The devil !” cried the astonished knight of the road. ‘ You know me?” “Yes, and your errand across this unfrequented tract,” replied the mysterious stranger, in a sepul- chral tone, “ You have, to-night, an assignation?” “T have,” answered Tom King, more amazed than ever. “ At the hour of eight?” “Yes, and it now lacks one quarter to the ap- pointed time.” “The rendezvous is the ‘Dog and Duck,’ in the vicinity ?” * Precisely go.” “ You are to meet a comely damsel ?” “Aye, and one whose beauty far transcends the peerless charms of dames of high degree.” “Her name is——” “Jael, the gipsy girl,” said Tom King, gaily, having recovered his levity by degrees. Tis false !” Hell and fury !” cried the highwayman, releas- ing himself from the gripe in which he was held, and menacing his opponent, who drily repeated his words, Tis false !”’ Choaked with rage at the second taunt, Tom King searched for a weapon. “Man or fiend, I care not which,” he exclaimed, ‘you must answer for this.” “When and where you please.” “Tam Satisfied, The place shall be this spot, the time shall be this very moment. The blood of one of us must make atonement for this insult.” The highwayman produced his pistol. His antagonist neither flinched nor stirred ; but addressed him in a tone tremulous and scornful. “You forget you have anengagement, and that.a fair maiden is waiting for you,” The simple words had their desired effect on Tom King, His sudden burst of passion was allayed in an instant, And the weapon he held in his hand dropped to his side. “To-morrow you shall find me ready to cut your throat with a blade or pierce your breast with a bullet,” continued the man of mystery; ‘‘ but this evening I prefer that you should keep your appointment with the lady of your love.” Tom King assented to this proposition, at the same time remarking, “ Well, I give you credit for greater discernment than myself in this affair. Had you pinked me, I should have been compelled to disappoint Jael; as it is, IT can keep my promise, and settle our little difference to-morrow as well as to-day.” “Goto your assignation,” repeated the stranger, whose voice still trembled either from rage or fear. “Upon my word, sir,” stammered out the high- wayman, with some embarrassment, ‘I must com- pliment you for your courtesy, and regret that I am beholden to run a sword perhaps through your gizzard.” ———— wark, “And why should you do so, when my weapon may have to perform a similar office for a spark as rakish as yourself?” ‘TI see, you aréone after my own mould, a hearty cull and——" _ With the words, Tom King gave his forehead a significant tap. ‘Bless me, I forget. T haven’t a penny.” “Tf you require money, young sir,” said the stranger, “I can lend you this.” The highwayman felt a hand slip a purse into his own. He grasped the first warmly, then pocketed the second. “On the faith of a toby gloak,” he exclaimed, “you're a devilish good fellow. We ought to be friends not enemies.” “On one condition we may be so,” resumed the unknown. “Name it.” ‘‘ Prove that I am in error.” ‘‘That’s, perhaps, more easily said than done.” “No ; the means are at your disposal.” “Indeed ! I am glad to hear it,” “You have only to conceal me ‘in some nook from which I may learn whether the girl is really the same that I have imagined.” “To that I can consent without any hesitation,” said Tom King, “‘ so come along with me, and judge if [ have spoken correctly or not,”’ I must haye some, and yet CHAPTER CVI. SOME SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE ONCE CELEBRATED “DOG AND DUCK,’ NEAR LAMBETH MARSH— WHAT TOOK PLACE WITHIN THE PRECINCTS OF THE SAME ON A CERTAIN NIGHT: IN» THE EARLY PART OF THE LAST CENTURY: Tom KING and his mysterious companion left the **Monk’s Oak” with hasty steps. In a few minutes they arrived, through the open space adjacent, at a solitary tenement, rejoicing in the somewhat peeuliar name of the ‘Dog and Duck,” It was an out-of-the-way place, and surrounded by a neglected woody bower, supposed to be the remains of an orchard belonging to a royal palace that was inhabited by Edward the Black Prince, at Kennington. The “ Dog and Duck” in the earlier part of the reign of George the Second, became, on account of its pleasant and open site, a place of public enter- tainment. The old building alluded to in this story was then destroyed, and the mazy coppices attached con- verted into pleasure gardens. It flourished for many years as a resort for plea- sure-seekers, who, in the summer months, flocked to the favourite retreat. After a period, however, of more than half a century, it lost its character and attractions, and became the haunt of the dissolute and depraved. On account of crimes that were committed within its limits, is was found necessary at length to re- press them, and entirely do away both with the house and grounds, There is a stone in the wall of the modern Beth- lehem, or Bedlam, which marks the spot where once raised its head the famous rendezyous, known as the “Dog and Duck,” St,.George’s Fields, Sonth-