Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

_ favour you have done me to-night.” “ Pooh—pooh! Don’t mention it” “J shall not forget it, rest assured of that. And now I must ask you to lay me under one mor obliga- tion.” “ And what is that ?” * Just go to the door, and have a look up and down the strect. Tell me whether you seo anyone haugiug about who looks suspicious—in a word, see whether the «cast ; is clear.” ty “] will, Dick. That is well thought of.” fee The landlord Lastily made his way to the front of the inn. wee | He was absent about five minutes; Heri ke returned ww with a very serious look upon his face. ~—s * What's the matter?” asked Dick, eagerly. wee “Why, the coast is not clear.” : “Indeed! Who's about ?” “Why, a man who owes me a bitter grudge. He has sworn over and over again to have his revenge. You remember, I daresay, that an officer concealed himself in this cupboard here, and I scalded him well with a kettle- _ ful of boiling water ?” “Yes, I remember. He was at the bar, drinking, a moment before you came downstairs.” * To-night 2?” “ Yes—moet certainly to-night—a little while ago.” Old Mattl:sw gave a long, low whistle. “That's awkwar d,” he said—“ very awkward |” “ find what’s more,” continued Dick, “it’s very odd to ~ sme if a secret sign or glance of intelligence did not pass between him and that nice little boy of yours.” Old Matthew gave a low groan. “Tf that’s it, captain, depend upon it it’s all’s over! You're nabbed—nabbed as sure as you are a living man!” “‘How so, Matthew?” said Turpin, feeling fearfully uneasy. ‘ What do you mean ?” “Why, I must tell you that this man was sometime ago dismissed from the police force ; but ever since then he has acted as a spy for the rest. ‘His old companions give him a trifle now and then, and he sniffs out information for them.” ‘‘ A regular spy, in fact ?” _____ ® Yes, nothing less, and in consequence of that little - trick I served him, he cherishes the most violent hatred against me. I have been told he has frequently declared he will never rest until he has brought about my ruin, and for that reason he is always hanging about in the street.” “ You make me very uncomfortable, Matthew,” said Dick Turpin. * T hope things are not quite so bad as youmake out. He looked keenly at meas I stood beside him at the counter; but I feel pretty sure there was no recognition on his part.” “‘ Well, there may not be,” said old Matthew, seeming rather relieved upon receiving this assurance. ; “But,” continued Dick, ‘ if I had not stopped that boy as I did, you may depend he would not have been in ‘ignorance of my identity by this time.” Tatas CHAPTER CMXII. 2 DICK TURPIN HAS HIS REVENGE €PON THE SPY. Ovp Matruew rubbed his head most vigorously, as was his habit when anything occurred of a troublesome nature. “T wish I knew how to solve the point,” he ejaculated, _ after a brief pause, “but how on earth to disesrar whether any police officers are lurking outside I know not.” “Is it not possibie,” said Dick, * that you magnify the danger ?” € - “In what manner ?” ‘“May it not be that this man is only skulking about outside in his usual fashion ?” “ There is a possibility of it.” * 2 a have not seen anything else suspicious, have 90 ¢” “Boa, nothing more, I saw no trace of officers, and yet, Se We Poa. you go?” SSeeae, UL will, Matthew, and many thanks to you fer the Spy f a oe by ‘ oe UF eg ae mes E —~ ; ~~ or tf ey i c . aoe, _s - whenever I se seo him I think thieg are never far @is- tant,” * And what was he doing ?” asked Dick. “Why, when I first went to the door, I saw nothing, put I stood perfectly still looking about me, then I fan- cied [ heard & slight movement in the catt, and so draw back into the shadow of the doorway as well as I could.” ‘‘ A noise in the cart ?” “Yes, and immediately afterwards that fellow lowered himself out of it.” “ That’s very strange,” said Dick. “ Sol think,” retur ned Matthew. “He must have had proceeding as that ?” “ Curse him!” said Dick, clenching his fists. ‘I wish I could lay hold of him somehow ; I’d put an end to his speaking for some time to come. But for him, no doubt I could have driven off quietly, without anyone being the wiser.” ae, Very likely indeed,” said Matthew; “but I am afraid there’s little chance of it now, though I don’t wish to say eB hing to discourage you.” ; ick drew a long breath. “How had I better act, Matthew?” he -said, as length. The landlord shrugged his shoulders. ‘‘T wish I could advise you,” he said; “but this is matter that baffles me altogether. You see, he may hive told the officers that ho suspected you were only an ~ assumed carter, and if so, they would arrest you on bare suspicion.’ “And I suppose,” continued Dick, “they would take care not to shuw themselves until I emerged into the street.” “ Decidedly not; and, for aught I know, a dozen of them may be hidden somewhere.” ‘Tt bothers me,” said Dick—‘‘it bothers me en- tirely.” Old Matthew began to think. ‘‘Tiook here,” he said, at length, “this is the best thing I can think of.” “ Out with it, then.” “7 will put on my hat and go outside, take hold of the horse’s head, and lead him round the corner, into Clare Market.” ‘* And what good would that do?” said Dick, in some amazement. ‘“‘Why, thismuch: I should have my eyes about me, and if any police officers were concealed I should at once become aware of it, for, don’t you see, they would either attempt to prevent me from moving the cart, or else I should see them quit their place ‘of concealment and follow it.” “So you would, Matthew—so you would; that didn’t occur to me. But what shall I do in the meanwhile 2” “TY will tell you; there will be no difficulty abeut it. ”? *T am glad to hear it.” * As soon asI go to the front of the house, listen. If you hear no contention or disturbance—if, in fact, you do not hear me raise my voice—conclude all is well, and just hasten down the passage, and through that door. You will then be in that little yard that is well known to you. Open the other door, and you will find yourseif in White Horse Yard. Make your way along it into Clare Market, and look about for me. If you see me, and all is well, I shall be patting the neck of the horse, and stroking it : but if Iam not doing so do not show you self, but clear off in the best way you are able.” Dick Turpin was highly delighted with this plan, and congratulated old Matthew npon his ingenuity. “T can’t stop to listen to anything of tlt sort,” he said, as he took his broad-brimmed hat down from a peg. “T will be off, and be sure you listen whether there isa noise outside.” The next moment old Matthew passed through the front dour, and Dick listened eagerly. But the silence was not broken by old Matthew’s voice, and almost immediately he aos the wheels begin te revolve. “ All right,” he muttered. Matthew iis, to be sure! owe him.” While he was speaking he secured the bag of gold about “What 8 capital old chap That’s one t ing more that I . 4 a : "as x ‘1487 some suspicions, or why should he have adopted such a JOO =) a (G(@) gS (elo)