Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 252: what you’re looking at

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

a ——_- 272 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee na The solemn chimes seemed asthe knell of Roving Jack, who was now advancing to the death that menaced him. , His air was dejected as he paced the unfrequented region, But his step was firm, and seemed to dim the lamp of memory. A profound silence attended his approach to Sir Maurice Lacy, whose pale cheek took a livid hue as he gazed upon hisenemy. — He drew not a breath, and evinced a transitory feeling of horror at the anticipated assassination. ‘Vou are late, Sir John,” remarked the baronet, who had recovered his composure, and treated the party he had addressed with a contemptuous smile. “Yes, Sir Maurice,” replied Roving Jack, with an equally scornful gesture. ‘Circumstances beyond my control have delayed me. Nevertheless, I am as anxious as yourself that the affair between us should proceed,” ; “JT have demanded an apology from Sir John Warbold, for his aspersions on my character, and a retraction of the calumny he has uttered.” “T decline to give them, since I find, to my sorrow, that what I have stated is in accordance with the truth.” : “Tf such is your determination,” replied Sir Maurice Lacy, coolly, ‘‘I have but one course to adopt.” “ And that is——’’ “ An appeal to weapons.” “Willingly. Where are the pistols ?”. exclaimed our hero, . “ Are they ready ?”’ “Yes, they are here.” With the words Nat repaired to the place where he deposited them. There were four in number, and enclosed in a case fastened with a steel clasp, which he at once opened, saying— ‘“‘ We have two pair.” “One, I trust, will serve,’ said Roving Jack, taking a weapon, its fellow being given to his adversary. ‘The shot,” he continued. ‘‘ Must be decided by dice, if we are to fight like men of honour,” said Sir Maurice Lacy. He compressed his lips and seemed to smile as he spoke. Nat Rose next handed some dice to our hero, with which he was to cast lots. A significant glance passed between the former and his nefarious companion as Roving Jack shook the box and threw on a tombstone— ‘leven !” Sir Maurice followed in his turn, but threw only— “Nine |” Thus he lost the advantage over his hated antagonist. ‘‘ Fortune smiles upon you,’’ said the baronet, sardonically, and bearing his defeat better than might be expected. ‘Fortune has no smiles for me now, Sir Maurice Lacy,” replied Roving Jack; ‘ner do I merit them. She poured her favours in my lap, but I have thrown them broadcast to the wind, And should your bullet dart through this aching heart, it will but rid the world of a broken gambler and a beggar |!” The addressed essayed no answer to this remark, while Nat Rose, in the meantime, had measured the ground, He was to act as second to Sir Maurice Lacy, and had promised Roying Jack—who, for reasons un- known, had come unattended—any service that might be required in such a capacity. In afew moments all the requisite preparations were made, and the combatants took up their separate positions. They saluted each other, then poised the weapons with which they were armed, ; The god of day had risen majestically in a cloud- less sky to witness two men arrayed for a direful conflict. The one thirsting for blood, the other in poignant anguish, betraying wrongs imposed, The same sun which smiles on the blushing face of nature frowns at the assassin, and casts upon his marble countenance a shadow that is to wing his flight to perdition. At the given signal Roving Jack raised his pistol. The hazard of the die had given him the chance of firing first. He fired—not at his adversary, but in the air. Still, a fearful shriek followed the explosion, and Sir Maurice Lacy fell a corpse |! Tor a moment, at the unexpected catastrophe, our hero stood motionless. His brain burned as a hot iron, His heart seemed chilled by an ice-bolt. Presently he advanced and gazed on the livid, green, convulsive face of his lifeless adversary. “ Wounded— dead !"’ he murmured, ‘ impossible —quite impossible, unless some demon, plotting my soul’s ruin, has turned back the bullet from its open direction.” Sir Maurice Lacy had met death at the hand of an unseen enemy. It was that of Jack Sheppard. He, who would have slain an innocent man, had fallen by the very instruments uscd to commit the murder. _ The way-by .which the highwayman was able to achieve this undertaking is told in a few words. As the reader may remember, he had overheard the treacherous plot that had been devised by our hero’s enemies for his destruction. eh = Jack Sheppard, as soon as he became aware of it, contrived to emerge from the tree that afforded him concealment, and secrete himself behind the tomb upon which the fire-arms required for the encounter were remaining, Stealthily as acat, he crawled to the spot, and, while the preliminaries of the duel were being car- ried forward, raised himself to a level with the coveted slab. = Here he found pistol and powder, but no bullet. Without one, the weapon would be of no ayail, A lucky thought ; the dice. | Let them supply the place of the leaden messen- gers of vengeance, The loaded cubes, therefore, which had ruined hundreds, brought also ruin on their owner, the stern, implacable, and remorseless Sir Maurice Lacy. His wish had been gratified, The false dice, which he prophecied would be buried next his heart, if he failed in his nefarious engagement, had fulfilled the omen, and lodged themselves deep, aye even deeper in his bosom, than the bullet with which he would have sacrificed his adversary. ‘ Sir Maurice Lacy no sooner fell than Nat Rose found himself detained by a powerful grasp. Leaping with agility from his covert, Jack Sheppard had pounced upon him like a kite upon a carcass. The ruffian struggled manfully, and nearly sue- ceeded in releasing himself, . Fortunately for his assailant, he stumbled over a tree at this instant. ee