The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

122 a LG E LLL LDL ALAA AL AL ALLA AAA LEAL AED OO GE I EE I IE ILI LILLIE ETO TTI ry THE BOY SOLDIER; OR; GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. ‘The fair orphan’s tutor and my own lawyer.” What, Jonathan and Flint?” “The very men.” “T will denounce them,” “Nay, you cannot—you dare not, At this mo- ment you are hunted down yourself—leave revenge and justice to the laws of heaven. Warner !— repent in time—adieu ! ”’ The jaws closed again firmly, and with a lond click like that of a gun or spring trap. ‘‘Am I dreaming? said Warner, after some time spent in thought. “Not in the least,” said a voice behind him. ““You were never more wide awake in all your life.” Warner turned his head, It was Detective Gale and old Giles the gardener, | K * 7 * + * cs With almost inconceivable: agility, Warner fell from his chair upon the floor; and as Gale was about to fire kis revolver, the bold robber knocked up his arm, and the bullet passed harmlessly overhead, eee, In a second Warner seized him by the pistol, and gave him such a terrible wrench that the revolver fell harmlessly from his grasp. With a terrible blow of his clenched fist, he struck down old Giles, and was thus in a few seconds perfectly master of the position. Gale in all his life had never met “ with such an ugly customer,” as he called him. And as Warner stood, revolver in hand, over him, too, the robber’s eyes flashed with such deadly fire, thatthe detective knew very well, if be tried to push things to a conclusion, the roll of the police force would be minus the name of Serjeant Gale in the morning, Like a clever officer, he wriggled and writhed on - the floor apparently in much agony, but in reality was only “‘foxing,” as it is térmed, or in other words pretending, If he had his revolver, he would have made a good and desperate ficht with Warner: for it isa point of honor among policemen, and detectives especially, never to let a prisoner escape when once in custody, But what could he do? ES Some might say, why not fight and die, if need be, rather than let Warner escape ? es But Gale did not. Discretion,” he thought, * was the better part of valour ; and, besides, who’s to know that I did allow one of my prisoners to escape? Can’t I get up a good story and have old Giles to corroborate it? Besides, I’m sure to fall across this chap again some day, and nab him at my ease. I’m not going to get a broken head, all for the sake of glory and two lines of flattery in a newspaper. No, not I.” Warner picked up the detective’s pistol and cocked it, He now had two weapons. But with all his success over his two would-be captors, he had made one grand mistake. He had allowed the detective to have a good look at his face, __If he travelled for twenty years, Gale could now identify him , ; Warner didnot think of this, but seeing a small secret door-like opening in the wall Opposite to him, through which Gale and old Giles had entered, he dashed through it, and instantly slammed the door to again, aa ‘It was a near shave,” thought Warner, as he groped his way through a passage he knew nothing of, “but they hayen’t got me this time,” Revolver in one hand, and dark lantern in the other, he hurried along, feeling satisfied that neither of his late antagonists could pursue him for some time. He had bolted them in ! CHAPTER XLIII. IN WHICH TWO FRIENDS ARE DELIGHTED TO MEET EACH OTHER, AND THE TABLES ARE SUDDENLY TURNED, TO THE GREAT SURPRISE OF BOTH PARTIES, Burt let us, for a moment, return to old Flint, and to what he did on the night when accidentally dis- 4 covered returning from the theatre. When Flint arrived within a few doors of his own home, the detective bade him good night ina very jocular manner, and slapped him on the back familiarly, saying, 24 | ‘Well, good night, old boy ; when next we meet we'll make a night of it. But, mind how you act towards those pretty ballet-girls, or you may get into mischief, you old raseal; they might father their illegitimate children upon you, you know, eh? Ha! ha! that would be a lark.” gi Old Flint took all this as a very good joke, and, in his own mind, pronounced the stranger “a capi- tal fellow, by Jove.” rie Se They parted. - ta a Old Flint went to his own door with a very un- steady gait, for he had been drinking somewhat freely, and was the least hit “fuddled.” — After much fumbling with his. latch-key, and with great difficulty keeping on his legs, he: let Jonathan boldly walked up; and arrived just in time to prevent the door from closing. _ When old Flint entered the parlour Jonathan passed the threshold with at ee air of aman who had lodgings in the house, and had, of course, a right to be there, fs ehik All this had been perceived by the lynx-eyed detectives on duty in the street. ~~ sdai A very soft whistle was heard, fay t In a moment old Flint’s companion at the th was seen to be in deep conversation with aj man in plain clothés, who had heard the whi: and, of course, answéted the summons i star “See that tall, classical-looking chap go: oYe53)2 ei ee “Don’t live there, do s he?® . “Don’t know ; at least, never seen him before.” — “ Think he has anything to do with Schmidt, the old cock I was out with to-night ?” ** Perhaps so.” ‘‘Then keep an extra sharp eye on him; if he leaves the house get one of the lads to follow him and see where he hangs out,” Such were the detective’s instructions to those under him, and he walked home to his wife and children, tired out with “playing the gentleman,” but perfectly satisfied that old Schmidt and the new arrival would be watched like mice every moment of the night. im it sl ~~} “oh ars ~ ans * yer * . When Flint tottered into his parlour he stumbled about in the dark for some time, but soon managed to strike a light. : i During this time Jonathan had ample opportunity to conceal himself in his friend’s large wardrobe in the inner room, Tt on MEL The lawyer threw himself into a capacious old arm.-chaiy, and began to yawn and stretch himself. Several decanters of wine were on the table, and nee in | ene se EE TT Gomicbooksreom