Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

et ROVING, JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. Mechanically, and without any definite purpose, he unlocked the yard gate, and glanced up and oe ne quiet street, tall, pale-faced young fellow apped in a black cloak, stood at the cate it Upon seeing the hostler he uttered an eager ex- clamation, and walked towards him. - ‘““Vhy, bless my eyes, if it ain’t Master Walter Revel !” cried the hostler, in amaze. ‘Come, I say, sir, do you know owt o’ this pretty business ?”” “‘ No—yes—no,” stammered the young man, in breathless accents. “ What has happened? Speak, for God’s sake, speak |” “Contound it all, sir, none o’ yer gammon,” cried the other angrily. ‘ You knows more about it than I do, or else vot brings ye here at sich onheerd on times in the mornin’?” “Gracious heaven!” gasped the youth, raising » his hand to his brow; “my dream—my horrible dream—is verified. Bertha ——” “Is fled! her room is empty and all in disorder.” _ The youth stayed no further question, but rushed into the yard. Bob Bannister followed close after. _“ Look, sir, the grate is broken open, and the bird’s flown,” he cried, pointing to the window. Walter sprang up the ladder and clambered into the room, He crossed it and tried the door. It was locked on the inner side. He gazed wonderingly upon the books and papers scattered about, and then, once more descending to the yard, leaned against the wall as if stunned and paralysed by the calamity. “It’s the work o’ some o’ them cussed gentry coves as so hadmired the young mistress’s beauty, you may depend on’t, I’m right, sir, and I’ll lay a wager the scoundrel will prove to be that rake-hell Sir Ranulph Gayton,” “She is murdered !” groaned Walter, elasping his hands and uttering a cry of poignant anguish, “The Lord forbid, sir!” gasped the hostler, uplifting his hands. ‘ What makes you think so?” “Listen, Bannister,” returned the student, in quivering accents of awe and horror, “although I can scarcely expect you to believe my strange story * ““Go on, sir,’ rejoined the other, his knees shaking and his eyes staring, “ I’ll believe every word as falls from your lips.” But it was some time before the student could sufficiently control himself to speak, At length he commenced : “ T spent the night in study ; I avas sitting in my chamber, poring wearily upon my books—midnight was past and darkness and light were at war in the east—suddenly a strange, indefinable dread took possession of my soul; I dropped the volume I was reading from my hand, and I sprang to my feet. At first I thought the sensation might be attributed to nervous excitement, caused by my intense application to study, and I took a few turns through the room in order to calm myself, but still the most fearful sense of impending evil oppressed my soul. I could not shake off my foreboding ter- rors. However, I re-seated myself and tried to resume my task; all would not do, the printed lines seemed to intermingle and float away. I resolved to give it up for the night and return to my bed, when, just as I was crossing my chamber, I was suddenly arrested by hearing a wild, wailing ery. I heard it as distinctly, Robert, as I now hear my own voice ; every word thrilled like an ice- barbed arrow through my heart—‘ Walter, come to me! Save me!’” (7 ‘©O Lord !” gasped the hostler, ““ At once I recognized the voice as Bertha’s. I snatched down my sword from the wall, I ran to the window; all without was still; the Temple Gardens lay beneath me dark and hushed; the stithy ripple of a fountain was the only sound I heard, and no living object appeared in view from the path just below to the distant river that crossed the vista of trees like a broad span of dull silver. ‘A trick of fancy,’ I thought, ‘my brain is excited by over study.’ I turned from the case- ment and gazed nervously at the opposite wall of the room, when, to my unutterable horror, I beheld written, in a faltering hand, and in characters of WET BLOOD! these dreadful words—‘ Murdered by Jonathan Wild!’ I rushed to the place, but as I approached the letters faded away, and the glare of my lamp fell upon the bare shining panels of oak.” “Great Heaven |” ‘“T was resolved not to neglect this mysterious warning. I rushed from the house, and hastened hither.” ‘‘ And what is to be done now, Master Walter ?” asked the old man. ‘Shall we alarm the house, call up-the master, and go in pursuit of the wretches ?” “ Stay—where is Jowler?’”’ asked the young stu- dent hastily, turning to look for the mastifi. “It is strange that he did not arouse you all with his baying.” “ Took at the poor fellow, Master Walter,” said the old hostler, pointing to the hound; “ they’ve pizoned him.” *‘ Are you sure he’s dead?” asked Walter. “ Hear so,’’ returned the man, sighing; “but his carcase feels warm,” “That is nothing, a dead body will remain so for many hours,” returned the student, stooping over the noble creature. ‘‘ Yes, I can feel a slight pulsa- tion; bring some water.” The hostler filled a pail from the pump and brought it to the student. Walter poured some upon the insensible animal, and tried to drag the handkerchief from between his fangs, The dog gave a low, sleepy growl. ‘‘He’s a comin’ to, Master Walter,’ cried the hostler, eagerly; ‘‘give un another sloush. Ill warrant, if we can bring him to life again, he’ll track the willains to the death.” Again Walter dashed the cold water over the animal, He stirred. A deep snarl showed that consciousness was re- turning. At length the noble brute opened his eyes, stretched himself, shook his grand head, rattling his chain as he did so. : Walter and the hostler patted him, and encouraged him by caresses. He got up, and gave a long, wild howl, and trotted the length of his chain. “ Let him loose,”’ said the student, “ Aye, Master Walter, I’ll warrant he’ll soon take the scent,” replied the man, grimly, He undid the chain. The dog, thus freed, walked about, shaking himself, and uttering.a low, peculiar whine. Then he thrust his black muzzle into the pail, which was still half full, and lapped the water. Then, encouraged by the men, the sagacious brute, — who seemed to recall the incidents of the night, set up ,a deep, fierce bay, and sniffing the ground,