Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

66 ROVING JACK, THE oe SSS a ne His savage temper was so strong that it seemed for awhile to oyermaster his prudence and)sense of danger, and he seemed determined to reek his malice in spite of every risk. “Tf you strike I fire, Jonathan Wild !” said Hal Hetherington, sternly, for he was the timely inter- oser. E The thief-taker took a backward step, He lowered his arm, and then coolly replaced the blood-smeared truncheon in his capacious pocket. “ Thanks, fair sir,’ he said, with a satanic grin. ‘You have saved me from committing an act which I should have sorely repented. Tbis young scoun- drel belongs to the country ; his life is forfeit to the law, and he shall not receive his quittance from the earth he as polluted by his crimes so suddenly and easily ; he shall undergo all the shame and pro- tracted agony of a public execution—he shall hang on ‘'yburn tree,” He paused, laughed malignantly, and rubbed his hands. : ‘Perhaps, sir,” he ggptinued, “you are not aware whom you are defending from one whose duty it is to arrest him, This young scoundrel, sir, is the notorious cracksman and prison-breaker— Jack Sheppard |” “And you are the false and double-dealing traitor, Jonathan Wild,” returned Hal, sternly. “ But for your machinations, this misguided ad might now be an honest and worthy member of society. You shall not take him.” al ‘How, sir? Are you a champion of thieyes and rascals, sentenced by the just laws of your country to suffer the penalty of their offences?” returned Wild. “Well, you will haye to answer elsewbere: for your strange and unwarrantable conduct ; mean- while I will summon my assistants, and at once lodge the rascal in Newgate.’ : He blew a whistle, and a number of his myrmidons came rushing to the spot. . At the same moment our hero, with Sir Ranulph Gayton and Sir Maurice Lacy,“appeared upon the ; scene. “What does this mean, Mr. Hetherington? | asked Sir Ranulph, in surprise. ‘‘Ha! and have you captured that rogue, Sheppard? Faith! you have done the state a good service ; he has long set t law at defiance, and scarce a month ago he and his gang stopped my coach on the Deyerread, Hold him fast, he is a determined young dog,’ : ‘‘T crave a fayour, Sir Ranulpa,” said gur hero, smiling. “Jack Sheppard has promised reforma- tion, and I believe that I can depend ypon him keeping his word ; for a reason, I will hereafter ex- plain to you, I desire to save him. Permit me one moment’s conversation with the thief —MAKER.” Roving Jack’s bold eyes glared fiercely, and he stepped aside. Jonathan Wild frowned darkly, lips. He followed our hero, nevertheless, and stood looking upon his hands and face with a gloomy stare, ‘‘Y will make a bargain with you, Wild,” said Roving Jack, ‘‘ You must be aware that your life isin my hands; that a word from me would con- sign you to the same fate as that to which you have brought so many of your wretched dupes. I know ou are a rogue in grain, as treacherous as a fawn- ing tiger; but I fancy that you will have some respect fox your own interest and safety. This un- happy young fellow has been a source of profit to you, has seryed you faithfully.” ~ “Hal do you dare, sir, to impeach——” ‘Tush! now you play the fool, Wild, I know and gnawed his PIRATE HUNTER. you to be a villain, but I did not think you were a fool !” : ‘This insolence ‘‘ How, you low-bred rascal, do you talk of inso- lence to me? you, a beggarly fence and thief?” cried Sir John Warbold, in a fierce and haughty tone, his cheek flushing, and his lip curling disdainfully. ‘ But enough,” he added, resuming his calmness. - ‘Remember the night we spent together in the pirate’s cave ; remember what damning proofs of your guilt I can bring forward.” “Proofs !” sneered Jonathan. “ What proofs ? You were alone, and there are a hundred witnesses here in London whom I could call to prove an alibi.” “T have no doubt that many of your roguish majesty’s rascally subjects might be found ready to swear anything in your service,” rejoined our hero, scornfully ; ‘but look at this mute witness.” — He drew out a pistol from his pocket, and pointed to the initials J. W. and the royal arms engrayed upon the stock. “This was found on the Foamy Reef on the morning after your visit, and there is an old fisher- man who saw you land with Wirth Wolfgang and his crew of wretches. Nor is this all; I am ac- uainted with some of your darkest secrets.% ~ & Secrets !” said Wild, starting. ‘f Bah!” ‘ Answer methis. What became of the Jacobite — fugitive, Sir Jocylyn Tremaine?” . Then yon know of the—the ” gasped Wild, thoroughly taken aback, and turning livid pale. Roving Jack turned a quick, steadfast glance upon the yillain’s quailing eyes. “The —— murder!” he whispered, impressively, And where is Lady Annabel ?” *She—she is alive!” returned the thief-taker, Who, with all his dogged daring action, was morally a eoward, a fact afterwards proved by his craven conduct in the dock and on the scaffold, ‘©Good; we will revert to this subject on the first favourable opportunity,”’ rejoined our hero. Jonathan Wild stamped his foot with yexation at being so thoroughly non-plussed ; but, then collect- ing his resources, he said, with a gruff laugh, ‘*But what proper stuff you are talking, Sir John; the man you mentioned was a rebel and a traitor, and his life was forfeit to the state.”’ “Is it not rather strange, then, that you did not claim some recompense for the meritorious action of destroying him 2” asked gur hero, coglly. 67 had no hand in it.” “Not directly, perhaps, yet——” Wild interrupted him with a ferocious oath. “Come, sir,” he said, “this is nothing to the pur- pose ; these people are gaping like cod fishes with wonder at our palavering, they will overhear us. You said something of striking a bargain with me; your false charges, though they could result in no injury to me, would, if publicly made, lead to some passing annoyance. What do you want? To save Sheppard, is that it?” . “That is my first demand.” “Ten thousand curses seize the rest! Oometo | my house, and there we can confer upon any other business.” ‘*T ili come to your house, Jonathan Wild,” re- turned our hero, sternly ; ‘but your triumphant leer at hearing this resolution is quite unealled for ; be sure I shall take complete measures to secure myself from your treachery by placing in the hands of a trusty and authoritative agent the proofs of your villany, to be brought against you if you attempt any foul play,” ” (E@)