Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

240 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. 4 Tom King stopped before the low door of the house we have described. Then kicked against it violently. A light glimmered through it was opened, discovering an old lamp in her hand, The hag was dressed in coarse clothing, and bent almost double by age. The interior of the hovel corresponded with her mean appearance. The walls were of bare and crumbling plaster. The fire-place was dismantled, and the ceiling, formed of decaying rafters, covered with cobwebs. On the entrance of Tom King and his mysterious companion, the latter drew his cloak up to his eyes, as if for the purpose of concealment of his features. After a few words had been spoken, the crone whispered in the ear of Tom King, and beckoned to him to follow her, He complied, and ascended some stairs to the room above, the light disappearing with the high- wayman and the old woman. The companion of Tom King, being left by him- self, groped about in the dark for some moments, then mounted to the door through which he had passed. It was wide enough open to allow him to see all that was taking place in the adjoining apartment, He trembled, and a cloud darkened his eye as he beheld the lovers. They were alone, seated on a wooden coffer by the side of a lamp, the glare of which threw astrong light on their graceful forms, heightened by the beams of the moon couched on fleecy clouds, peer- ing through the chamber window. Jael was confused, flushed, palpitating, her gaze downcast, and her cheek crimson. ‘Oh, you will not despise me, I hope,” she said, without raising her eyes to the face of Tom King, radiant with delight. “TI fear I am acting very wrong in this affair.” ‘‘Despise you, dear girl; why should I do so?” replied the highwayman, with his accustomed air of gallantry. ; “For having accompanied you to this lonely dwelling.” “ Pshaw! I can never despise you for such an act, though I must freely confess that I am angry.” ‘‘ Angry !” exclaimed Jael, looking at the speaker in alarm, “ Yes, angry,” he continued, “that you put so little faith in me as to suppose I brought you to this place for some other reason than your security and protection.” The gipsy girl was silent for a moment, and rose from her seat, A sigh burst from her lips. A tear stood in her eye, ‘Pardon me,”’ she sobbed, “if you believe me to doubt one whom I dearly love,” ‘‘No, my dear girl; it is for me to ask pardon,” said Tom King, in transport, throwing his arm around the waist of Jael. ‘And do you love me?” “ Yes, with heart and soul,” replied the maiden. “Could Ido otherwise ? You are kind, generous, handsome, and have saved my life ; I—whoam but a poor foundling.” Tom King led her again to her seat, and placed himself beside her, closer, aye, much closer, than before. ‘‘ Now, Jael,” he said, “you must listen to me seriously,” ‘Indeed I shall do no such thing,” she replied, coquettishly, “until you tell me whether you sin- cerely love In return,” TT ely love me in return {oO AU67 revices, and it an holding a i “Do I love you? Can you ask sucha question ? I love, and can never love any other but you,” said Tom King, pressing Jael to his bosom. She raised her eyes with a look of angelic happi- ness towards her lover’s face, and faintly mur. mured— “ Assured of this I can freely die.” “Die ! how you talk, girl ; when two fond hearts unite ’tis the very time to live.” “T havea fearful presentiment that evil will come to one or both of us this very night.” “ Pshaw ! these are childish fancies! Don’t alarm yourself about such trifles; haven’t I told you how passionately I. adore you? And, may I never see daylight again,” continued Tom King, “if I don’t make you and myself the happiest of mortals in Christendom.” ¥ As he spoke his eyes seemed to glisten more and more joyfully. The stranger, with the eye of a hawk, had been watching all that had passed from the partly opened door. : He quivered, froze, and boiled, at the scene which met his gaze, His face resembled that of a caged tiger unable to spring upon his prey. His eye gleamed in the shaded corner in which he stood with a blue phosphorescence on its surface “‘To deceive me now would break my heart,” said Jael, still clinging to her lover. ‘Since I am thine what need I of parents? To me thou art father, mother, all, since I so well love thee and thou givest back my passion! When I am grown old, ugly,” she continued, “shall I be still adored ?” ‘You will ever be the object of my affection,” ‘Then am I the happiest, the proudest of women !” As she spoke Jael threw her arms around the neck of Tom King. A sweet smile and eyes dim with tears were fixed on him; and he pressed his burning lips to those of the trembling maiden. At that moment she beheld another face. It was the convulsive, livid face of the stranger, who had sprung from the door with an upraised knife in his hand. Jael was struck motionless by this terrible apparition. | She had not power to speak or scream, but fell senseless on the floor. | Turning to raise the fallen. woman Tom King became aware of the presence of the party who had unwittingly caused the mal-adventure, | He had to all appearance overcome the extra- ordinary commotion that had taken place within him, and assumed an air at once placid and free from any approach to malignity or hatred, “Why have you disobeyed my injunction,” said Tom King, “and entered the apartment without a warning? Your folly has thrown the poor girl into a fainting fit from which I fear she will not shortly recover.” ‘That is unfortunate, truly,” said the stranger, ‘“‘for we shall not be able to carry her off, and I can already hear the trample of horses along the causeway,” ‘What do you mean?” said Tom King, who had now raised Jael from the floor into his arms, “I did not think to meet you thus ; and I begin to suspect that you mean no other than foul play.” ‘Let the issue determine whether it be so or not. This is no time for parley, Yon will find I am no foe; I come to warn you. Jonathan Wild,” continued the stranger, “ has discovered your meet- ing place, and your life is beset,”