Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

— = — - — - -~ —_—~- 7—_—_——— Violet continued to read the letter, which ran as follows :— “Tam not arrested, but sccreted. Do not reveal my piace of concealment to any one but my tried fricend—Sir Ranylph Gayton. Incaution might destroy me, caution saye me! Come to me on this injunction. My confidant will escorf you in safety. Every moment is an age. * Yours, dear Violct, ‘LOVING AND BELOVED.” “ How proud I ought-to feel of this honour,” said Sir Ranulph, glancing slyly at Nat lose. “The request is yery singular,” said the lady. “Yet very natural,” replicd the baronet, in a tone of forced calmness. “ What can be his motive ?” “To urge, probably,” he continued, “ some assign- ment of property on your part, which is to become his on your marriage,” ~ “Tt may be so,” answered Violct, with hesitation. “Yet I cannot congeal my surprise that he should wish that this proceeding be carried on without the knowledge of his trusty steward.” “ His letter enjoins such_a course,” replied the baronet ; “therefore, ycu may depend upon it that Sir John has some good reason for advising you.’’ We will now leave Violet Tremaine hesitating between doubt and fear, and retive to a far distant spot. Pit was night when a dark figure leaped oyer the moss-grown paling of St. James’s old park, The pleasaunce of former days bearing this name bore a very different aspect to that which the present one bears. | It was merely an undulating and open traet of land, covered with aged oaks and an elastic sward, and had more the appearance of some country wood than the beautiful English garden of modern times, The individual who had entered this leafy wil- (lerness in haste seemed as one avoiding a pursuit. His dress consisted of grey cloth of the coarsest texture, and he wore a great iron ring on his leg. His head, devoid of covering, was bound with a kerchief, while his shoes, broken and trayel-soiled, seemed to be filled with blood from wounds in his feet. He shivered, limped, and glared aiound him on all sides. In a word, the man was an escaped felon, and no other than the notorious prison-breaker, Jaek Sheppard. A few minutes’ rapid walking brought him to an eminence that formerly stood in the centre of the park. From this point he seemed to contemplate the quietude of the scene around him bathed in the beams of the moon. Through the broken vista of trees he discerned the tall chimneys and picturesque outline of the once-celebrated Buckingham House. At his feet meandered a branch of the Thames, still preserved and known as the ornamental watev. ““T have once more escaped my dungeon bars,” exclaimed Jack Sheppard, musing, “and am again at freedom ; unchained, I can raise my arm,” As he spoke, the fugitive from justice discovered still a broken fetter hanging from his wrist, ‘‘T had forgot,” he cried, this link, rusted by a victim’s tears, yet remains ; the spots shall, in future, be those of blood, and Sir Maurice Lacy’s, too, my cowardly denouncer.” At this moment a voice fell upon the ear of Jack Sheppard, It chilled him like an ague. Tt was that of the man of whom he had spoken, | ~_ = ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. " a Almost immediately after the alarm Sir Maurice Lacy was scen wending his way through the shrubby intricacies of the beaten pathway of the park, Hle had not proceeded many paccs when he observed some one approaching him. The spot was lonely, and dotted with trees that threw their arched and interwoven branches across the chasm beneath, Startled by the ominous and sudden appearance of a figure at such a time, Sir Maur.ce Lacy drew back and retraced his footsteps in order to take a more open and frequented road. This was prevented, for, on suddenly turning, Jack Sheppard pounced upon him from behind, The man thus arrested did not recognise his opponent, but knowing the neighbourhood was at night occasionally infested with footpads, naturally concluded his assailant to.be one. “Who are you, fellow ?” said Sir Maurice, vain] endeayouring to release himself from the hold that was maintained of his person by him whom he addressed. “Tf you want money,’ he continued, “I have none for such as you are.” ‘‘ Money?” cried the other. ‘Money from you? I'd sooner receiye the deadliest venom in my palm than gold at your hands !”’ Sir Maurice knew the yoice of Jack Seeppard the moment he spoke, and then pronounced his name aloud, “Yes, I am Jacek Sheppard,” he replied; “he whom you betrayed, and who has contrived to snap the fetters that bound him.”’ “Impossible! Again escaped ?” “Tf you doubt my words, Sir Maurice, Mr, Austin, the turnkey of Newgate, will bear them out, ** You intend to murder me?” ‘fT don’t consider it would be a crime to rid the world of such a rascal as you have proved yourself to be.” Mey ‘““You may, perhaps, find the task you have im- posed upon yourself, Jack Sheppard, more difficult to accomplish than you anticipate.” “That may be.” ‘“What would you say,” continued Sir Maurice, ‘if I called the night-wateh? I have but just passed them on their rounds.”’ Jack Sheppard exhibited the pendant chain on his arm, and exclaimed— ‘Why, with this iron, if you attempted such a thing, I could strike you dead at my feet. But I am not a dark assassin,’ continued he. “Meet me, then, to-morrow, as man to man, and sword to sword opposed. You have only to promise this, and I promise to molest you no further.” “You have my word.” Several lights appeared at this moment among the neighbouring foliage. They were the lanterns carried by the night- watch. On perceiving them, Sir Maurice Lacy at once raised acry, a cry that was answered as soon as given. Jack Sheppard, at this act of treachery, with a malignant scowl at his enemy, exclaimed, ‘‘ Double traitor! have you so soon broken your promise ?” “ An oath extorted, is no oath at all,” retorted Sir Maurice Lacy, | With the words, he rushed upon Jack. Sheppard, and drew his sword, His enemy, observing his tactics, stepped nimbly . back, and succeeded in disengaging himself fr the erasp his adversary had fixed upon yes tC irom oO