Penny Dreadfuls, 1867 · page 269 of 300
Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 269: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Victorian Penny Dreadful Page Analysis This is a text page from serial installment No. 37 of "Roving Jack, the Pirate Hunter," featuring an illustration at the top titled "Denunciation by Jack Sheppard's Mother." The page contains running prose dialogue in which characters including Geoffrey Bradshaw, Tony Wheeler, and Roving Jack discuss apparent treachery and a disputed will. Bradshaw accuses Jack of betrayal when Tony Wheeler reports suspicious activity outside, but agrees to show Jack proof of their uncle's will to settle the matter. The passage concerns what appears to be a criminal conspiracy involving inheritance and documents, with characters plotting to keep their activities quiet and hidden from notice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
There was a knock, a signal, and the door opened, ‘his gave Violet Tremaine an opportunity of eacaping, while the new comer was conversing with his confederates. _ She had learnt the secret of the will, and deter- mined to profit by it. It was Tony Wheeler who had arrived, and bring- ing intelligence that was by no means pleasing to some of the recipients of the news. He had observed a party with apparently eyil in- tentions waiting at the corner of one of the neigh- bouring streets. ‘‘Ha | this is treachery.” With the words, Geoftrey Bradshaw eyed Roving Jack with distrust, “Treachery, indeed,” echoed the others. “1 knew not of this,” said our hero, seeing that he was suspected. “That I doubt,” said Bradshaw, contemptuously ; “if blood is to be spilled, yours will be the first.”’ “Tony Wheeler,” he continued, “put these nabs off the scent for a few minutes,” “We must make this quiet.” _ “See that we are not disturbed.” “Trust to me; but hark, if you have any busi- ness to do here, douse the glims, for as the hour is late they may attract notice.” No, 37. —$——$—————— Mh = rl 4 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. DENUNCIATION BY JACK SHEPPARD'S MOTHER, So saying, Tony Wheeler left the room and passed through the door ; the door being again fastened by Ned Bush, “Tye hit upon a plan that will silence your scruples, Sir John Warbold,” said Geoffrey Brad- shaw, addressing our hero, who, by his manner and looks, seemed to think more than ever he was the victim of deception. “Tt is evident,” continued the disguised baronet, ‘hy our proceedings that you fancy we have not your uncle’s will, but you are mistaken, and you surmise without reason.” “T should certainly require some proofs of the fact,” replied Roving Jack, “ before I can remove my present doubt.” ‘© You shall have those proofs,” exclaimed Geoffreyy Bradshaw, “you shall see the packet that contains disposition of the dying man’s effects, and if you do not recognise your uncle’s writing you shall pass free from hence.” This proposition was agreed to by our hero. Nat Wetherby was then commissioned to fetch the document required from the room above. While Roving Jack and his companions entered another chamber immediately beneath them. The gust of wind occasioned by the sudden open- ing of the door of the latter apartment left all in darkness, save where the moonshine, which the side CommicoookxS. Conn Oe SAT on - jan) oe s\\ ee