Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTEBR. 243 above the judgment seat and advanced a few steps. Suddenly it stopped and looked round at the two members on the bench, . They appeared quite unconcerned, and were evi- dently not aware of the presence of the individual in qeestion. Tom King etood amazed, and watched the mys- ferious visitor intently, whose features being partly disclosed appeared to be of the colour of a bluish wax. ; He remained motionless for a few seconds, and from the action of the head appeared merely to look down pensively upon the court below, and to take! no notice of the prisoner, whose fixed and trembling gaze was upon him, Almost without warning, this strange being vanished as some phantom, and passed through the large hall window as by some ethereal egress, he examination of several other witnesses then proceeded, Tom King heard their evidence with stoical calmness. “T call upon you,” resumed the judge, “what you have'to say im answer.” The figure now for the second time appeared to the fevered imagination of the prisoner. ‘It seemed to him as if it was prevented by some hidden mystery from revealing itself to the people in the court, yet possessed the power to cover with darkness their thoughts. 'A peculiar change came over the judge’s face, A tremulous motion seemed to pass through his frame, and his voice faltered as he repeated the words, ‘What have you to say in answer?” “My lord,” replied Tom King, evincing extreme tetror, “it is impossible for me to reply while that figure is glaring at me from yonder window.” As’ he spoke the eyes of the whole assemblage were at once directed to the spot indicated. ‘Phere was no one to be seen. “ P,jgoner,” said the judge, ‘your words are wild and incoherent, Why do you upraise your hands -in frantic gesture ?” Because I have seen some unnatural being—a restless spirit of the other world !” ‘This réply fell like a thunderbolt amidst the silence of the auditory, and terminated further in- terrogations on the part of the prosecution. On the papers taken from the murdered man being produced’ in court, the-jury, after the usual preliminaries, retired, Jn ten minutes they gave in their verdict— 3 * GOILTY! ” The judge rose to addréss them. “ Gentlemen,” said he, “since the accused has confessed his crime I have but afew words to utter and a painful duty to perform. May it please the court to maintain silence.” ‘Every head was in a moment seen uncovered, while the president, in a low tone, demanded, * The black cap.” Tue condemned prisoner seemed to be anxiously looking at tle solemn scene. But his dim eye no longer saw objects before him. The clerk of the tribun.] began writing, and theu handed a long parchmeut to its president. During the prevailing stillness a chilling yoice pronoanced these words, “ Prisoner : on such day as it shall please our Jord the king, at the hour of noon, you shall be drawn if a tuinbrel throagh the streets of London to the place of execution at Tyburn, where-you will be hanged by the neck of the gallows until you are dead. Your property, if you have any, will be con- fiscate to the crown, and your remains interred without consecrated ground. “This is the sentence of the court, whose humble representative I am, for the crimes by you com- mitted and murder done upon the body of Sir John Warbold, Baronet, and heaven have mercy on your soul.” ‘‘Oh, this is a dream,” murmured Tom King, as he felt rough hands bearing him away. It was now night. The lights, having received no accession to their number, gave so faint a glare that objects a short distance off were scarcely discernible. The face of the judge, by whose side stood a lamp, was alone to be distinguished. Opposite to him, through the haze, and at the other extremity of the ball, he could perceive an pee patch of black moving along the dark oor, The ficure advanced with a firm step, and ascended the witness-box, 9 Arrived here he spoke to the judge, who magis- terially resumed the seat he had lately quitted. The assemblage, pale and halting, greeted the new comer with a buzz of pleasure. c Without betraying the slightest emotion, he con- tinued, ; ‘* My lord, since the condemned man has confessed the crime, it is time for me to speak, and in doing so will prevent this court from committing a legal murder,” “This assertion is most extraordinary,” replied the judge; “it is incredulous that a man would wantonly accuse himself of a crime which would jeopardize his life, unless, indeed, his reason had left him. I suppose, witness, this is a plea you are about to offer in his defence ?” “Your lordship misunderstands me; I am not here to offer a subterfuge for crime, but to protect the innocent and confound the guilty.” ‘*Am I to consider you as a witness or as an accomplice in this mysterious affair ?’’ asked the judge. ‘“As a witness, one whose testimony you dare not doubt, and must readily admit that justice is at last enlightened.” | Tbe usual oath having been taken by the last speaker he cast his eyes around the hall, and fixed them intently on one spot. It was that upon which Jonathan Wild was standing. He had been looking on attentively, apparently without concern. As the witness pointed to him he became violently agitated, the more so at his affrighted words— ‘““T challenge that man.” « My lord,” stammered out Jonathan Wild, ‘‘ the conduct of this stranger is so inexplicable, and his proceedings so irregular, that I begin to suspect he is in league with the prisoner for some sinister design. * Tf you will allow me,” continued the thief-taker, ‘‘to make inquiries, I have no doubt I shail be able to discover something respecting him.” “My Jord, if you suffer Jonatban Wild to leave court for this one instant you will do so at your own peril.” / The judge, perplexed, made no reply, leaving the witness to continue his discourse. “| solemnly assert that he has in bis possession papers which he has unfairly obtained ; fi stly, with the view of using them as evidence against the culprit at tve bar, then tarning them tu his own advantage by taking possession of property, the owners of which he falsely believes are dead.” CoOmmicloooks.eG©