Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

~~ ‘ ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ‘‘Seven’s the main,’ he cried, “A nick,” exclaimed Sir Maurice, the victor. Roving Jack staggered to see his evening’s win- nings vanish at a cast. All eyes were upon him ag he doubled the stakes. Sir Maurice was willing, and they went on. Four thousand pounds were placed on the table; and changed hands in a few moments, . Our hero was again vanquished, There was another throw, It was the last. His estate against twenty thousand pounds. Having reached this fearful climax, the pivot upon which turned his sole hope and fortune, Roying Jack seemed scarcely to move or breathe. He grew pale, and beads of sweat gushed from his forehead of marble. s Notwithstanding the fixed gaze that greeted him on every side our hero rattled the box brayely, and threw the dice with apparent unconcern. The next moment he was a beggar, for Sir Maurice Lacy rose from the table the winner, and in the supposed possession of £40,000, His antagonist stood stupefied at his ill-success, but he bore his defeat better than might have been expected, All at once he strode quickly across the room as if struck by some sudden idea, and faced the baronet quitting it. He would gladly have avoided the meeting, but escape was impossible. Roving Jack seized his arm and held it fast. “*Sir Maurice Lacy,” he exclaimed, “TI shall not allow you to quit this place until I have ascertained whether or not I have been swindled out of my property by trickery and dishonest practices.” “Such language ill becomes you, Sir John. you mad or drunk?” | ‘‘ Neither, villain! cheat |’’ “ Cheat !” roared Sir Maurice. ‘f Do you dare to insinuate that I have played unfairly in our late game ?” “You have used loaded dice, I am certain,’ re- plied Roving Jack ; ‘‘I noticed the peculiar way in which you handled them. As you continued to win, my suspicions were confirmed that you were playing with the fell instruments by which you had tempted me.” ‘When you are calm,” replied Sir Maurice, coldly, “T shall expect an apology for this undeserved in- ault.” *‘ Produce the dice that you have used in proof it is one,” | ; “T lave them not; some one has abstracted the——”’ : Roving Jack gave vent to a disdainful laugh. He released the grasp he had hitherto main- tained of the baronet’s arm. And in bitter accents exclaimed, “Tis a subterfuge, and I shall not withdraw the charge I have brought against you.” ‘Boy you presume,” returned the other, con- temptuously. “ Boy that Iam, you fear me—you fear to look the victim you would have robbed in the face-—and ‘since you beard me, I have but one resource, Sir Maurice Lacy, you are a coward and villain !” With the words Roving Jack advanced suddenly Are Ee eS a COMMCH OOK. a 263 on Sir Maurice Lacy, and.struck him full in the ace, The baronet’s pale cheek burnt crimson. His dark eye flashed fire. Putting his hand upon his sword, he exclaimedin wrath, “A blow !—blood must answer that,” ‘‘ When and where you please,” ‘ To-morrow.” ‘At earliest dawn.” “ With all my heart.” “ The place of meeting 2?” ““ Name it yourself,” “To me all places are alike,” said Roying Jack. Anywhere be it—say near the old Elm Tree, near the Abbey Yard, at Westminster, at the time ap- pointed—it will be a retired spot,” ‘ Agreed,” rejoined Sir Maurice Lacy. ‘‘ I shall be there at the hour. Master Nat Rose, you will do me the favour to act as second in this affair ‘ of honour ?’” “ T shall reserve my choice of a friend,” continued our hero. ‘“‘ Heaven knows the bankrupt may not need one.” While the scene was going forward, one of the servants of the establishment hurriedly entered the apartment. His excited looks at once betrayed that something alarming had occurred, ‘‘ Escape, gentlemen, ag well as you can! not a moment is to be lost!’’ cried the terrified man, ‘‘ Jonathan Wild and his myrmidons are about to attack the house.” , Dismay ran through the company present like wheaten straw in a glowing furnace. Seme made for the garden at the rear of the house. ; The door of which being fastened, they proceeded at once to burst it open, Others endeavoured to hide in some ont-of-the- way corner till the danger was past, or to reach, the trap docr that opened on to the roof of the assailed mansion. The rest crowded to a large oriel window that stood adjacent to them. Before they, howeyer, could pass through it, the thief-taker had entered the room. “T arrest all present in the king’s name,” he thundered. — BEE “Tt may be so,” replied one of the party; “but though we are hetrayed, we may not go easily be taken,” | In an instant every light was extinguished, And all was buried in extreme and total darkness. The next moment 2 dreadful encounter took place. . Thirty swords were drawn, and flashed their fires in the gloom. Yet none could tell who or what was his ad- versary. Each man seemed bent upon his own safety, re- gardless of the fate of friend or foe, Blood flowed like water by the slippery state of the flooring. Imprecations and groans told that men every moment were dying. Shots fired im each direction incessantly, and seldom failed to hit one of the closely-packed com- batants. One who fell beneath this murderous volley was our hero— Roving Jack !