Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 263: what you’re looking at

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

ee eee a in eB ee ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ferently situated, seeing that he entertained nd great affection for you, and a great deal for another person.” Treating our hero with a cunning leer, the supposed steward continued— ‘“Now comes the joke of my story. Admiral Warbold did make a will, and, what is more sur- prising, that will is now in my possessiun |” This intelligence, as may be presumed, had a startling effect upon Roving Jack. However, he essayed no remark, and, by a powerful effort, disguised his emotion from his companion, who continued— “Tl tell you, Sir John, how it came about. Rummaging one day, while I was in your uncle's service, an old and secret compartment of an escritoire, I found the document of which I have spoken.” “And did you dare——” interrupted our hero. “Dare? Bless you, Sir John, I dare do more than you imagine, which you will find-ont when you know me better,’ continued the other, with unblushing effronter y. “With the will, I found your wincle’s sealed ring. I’ve brought it with me just to show: Baa I am using no deception in the matter.” Here Brads RaW produced a ring for Roving Jack’s inspection. pig his own private signet,” he muttered to himself. ‘How often have I searched amid his hoards for that memento, and without success ? But let this matter pass for the present, Sir John, as-we have to deal with a greater one,” continued Bradshaw. - ©The will——” ‘Tg still with me. I have not broken the seals of the envelope ; I like to act honourably, and if ‘you’ like to agree to conditions I shal! deliver the will into your hands without knowing anything about its contents myself.” * But is it genuine? Is it dated?” asked our hero, almost unconsciously, for the mien and braggadocio of the man he confronted had caused a strange sus- picion to arise in his mind. ‘ “Tt is dated oniy four days before the admiral’s death,” replied Geoffrey Bradshaw ; then speaking ina flippant manner, continued, « AS to its being genuine, why the old man has written on the envelope what it comprises, and I suppose you can identify his writing ?” * T can,” replied “Roving Jack, somewhat eagerly ; : “that is a thing that no one can deceive me in.’ *T am clad” to hear you say so,” returned the other, with a crim smile on his face : ; ‘*you will be sooner satisfied about the fact.” Our hero, eyeing closely Geoffrey Bradshaw, next asked him his conditions, seeing that as he had _ Spoken of money, most likely that was his incentive in this strange matter. “Yes, Sir John, you will find me most com- pliant,” replied the steward. ‘‘If you agree to the terms I shall dictate I will readily give up the will of your uncle which I now hold; if not, I make it public,” continued the inexorable individual, stop- ping to light his pipe in the middle of the sentence, “and if,” continued he, speaking at his leisure, ‘‘ as is most likely, your defunct relative has not left you a shilling, why, of course, you have to return once more to degradation and poverty.” “What sum do you require for silence and mass ag “ Five thousand pounds.” ' @ Five thousand pounds?” ‘‘ Yes, and don’t hesitate about it,’ replied Brad- ee significantly ; ; you’ve received your wife’s , which he placed nm EB FAH KE SEXS) dowry to-day, and that’s twenty thousand pounds, or report’s a liar.” “But if,” said our hero, ‘‘ when I have paid you this money, I open the will and discover the pro- perty is left elsewhere, I shall be a beggar.” “What the devil should you open it for?” added the unscrupulous baronet, ‘To find out you are ruined, eh? You let me have the rhino, and I'll give up the will.” “Once in my hands——”’ “You can pop it on the fire,”’ continued Bradshaw, ‘and who'll be the wiser? I hadn’t curiosity enough to open the paper myself, why should you?” “Where is the document ?” “At my lodgings, in Petty France.” “IT will meet you there to-morrow.” “To-morrow will be too late ; we must depart to-night,” At that moment a suppressed and stifled scream was heard. It appeared to issue from some one apparently concealed in the chamber, Bewildered by the strange event, its occupants proceeded to make a strict search of the apart- ment ; but the eavesdropper, if there had been one, had stolen pnperechyed from it, - it was early in the morning when Sir Jocylyn Tremaine arose from his couch and hastily bent his steps to the steward’s chamber. He looked grave and pre-occupied, A silent suspicion of truth seemed, ag it were, to have flashed upon him, and he soon reached. his destination, He rapped against the door of the faithful old man’s room, No answer was returned, “I did not expect it,” murmured one of the séve- ral attendants who had. arrived, “ An entrance must be forced.” “Stay, let me try again,” thought Sir Jocylyn, ‘before we have recourse to violence.” “ Adam, Adam,” he exclaimed, knocking sharply. és Adam cannot answer,”’ returned he who had first spoken; it was Wirth Wolfgang. With the words, he hurled his huge frame against the door. It burst open. The reason why no answer had been returned to the summons then became apparent to all. The tenant of the room was a stiff and rigid corpse. (Vide illustration to Number 33,) They entered the room with reverence, for the presence of the dead ever exacts a feeling of respect from even the wanton. . On each countenance awe was impressed. There was a pause, and a voice heard uttering a prayer. Presently that voice was hushed by a deep and heavy sigh. Then followed a profound silence which reigned for some minutes amidst the gloom, —— CHAPTER CXXIV. PETTY FRANCE. Few of our readers are, perhaps, aware that a locality in the metropolis still bears the name which heads this chapter. It is that portion of the Dacre estate which lies between the Broadway, at Westminster, and Castle Lane, near Pimlico. It is supposed originally to have derived its appellation from a numerous body of French Calvinists settling in this spot after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, Oo CSinG