Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

ae On Mle iN, the figure of a men kneel¥ng 2:wn The longer he gazed the more confident he felt that he had not made any mistake, so, creeping still closer, return. A yell of fear broke the silence that bed for %& 1 xg reizned around the spot. The man, finding himself in the graay. of some cas, trembled from head to foot, and would have falleu to the ground had not Dick held him up. ) “Who are you?” he roared. “ Let me see your face ? Why are you here?” “Oh, mercy!” said a voice, in humble tones. “Do have mercy upon me—pray do!” “ IT know that voice,” said Dick, peering intently into the stranger's face, ‘and yet surely it must be a mis- take.” “No, no—not any mistake,” was the reply, “fcr I kn¢ w your voice now, captain. It’s al] right. Mr. Bradbary, at your service.” — Dick rsleased his hold instantly. “You have cause to be thankful that you have escaped so well. 2am generally hasty in my movements, and not very particular as to what Ido. However, I’m glad it’s all right.” The Governor grunted and rubbed himself very vigorously with both his hands at the back of his neck, for Dick’s grasp had been by no means a tender one, : “Oh!” he said, “you gave me a dreadful fright—an awiul fright!” “Indeed! How so?” “TJ will tell you. I don’t miad confessing that this tree has haunted my imagination ever since you spoke to me about it, and it has only been ty the exercise of great self-command that I have kept myself from paying a visit to this spot for so long, but to-nixht I felt im- pelled to make my way here. I could uot resist the temptation.” “And you saw me digging here, I suppose?” said Dick. ‘‘] fancied so,” said the Governor, ‘but could not make sure. I didn’t know whether to advance and make myself known, or remain in concealment, and while I was debating this point in my mind you got up into the cart and drove away.” “ Well, and then ?” “ Why, I thought the best thing I could do was to ossess myself of the treasure, and make haste back to Tsadan. so I began to dig, as you see.” “And did you not guess that I had returned ?” ‘'No,:’ mid the Governor—‘‘ not for a moment. |! belisved some other person had been watching, and, having seen all that had been done, had come for- ward with the intention of appropriating the money bimself.” “T see, and hence your alarm. Well, you have good seuse for gratification. The money you will find per- _fectly safe, tied up in a leather bag, and I hope the amount will satisfy your expectations.” “You have just placed it there, of course?” said the Governor, inquiringly. “You had better not trouble yourself to make any in- quiries upon that point,” said Dick. “ Let it suffice that ou find the money where | told you you would. I may ee come to-night merely to make sure that the money Was safe, you understand.” ‘The Governer said “ Yes,” but it Is questionanle walether he really understood wkat Dick meant or not “ Well, captain,” he added, after 9 short pause, “ thore-# ey a tremendous commotion in Newgate, [ can asaure ou ” mi No doubt.” ‘“‘T confess that I have been in a perpetuz) stste of fever I have trembled fx your ever since your departure. safety.” Dick smiled. “Tam all right, you see. and wel) Vzlef myssli. I was by aga brt things seemed quiet cuough there, fx KNIGHT OF THR BOAD. as ud Enelt and busily engaged {2 digging ap the and watching for a favourable opportunity, be made a sudden bound vpon the stranger, who little suspact=d hia Ake care of ow Street police station a tittle while PeoNt Ses eal Fee aN i ORES ete Wate ity LAP “ i fe » : 2 eet . Vita c ' ‘ iP § x Le a g ( a mi Ay, N 7 % An ‘x Rs 4 fal Ay Swe i ce ee > 24% a? 1491 -. 5? ~ The Governor repeated the words in a tone of incred luus amazement. “It’s quite true,” said Dick, carelessly, “and I daresay you will hear something of it when you get back to Londou.” “You are too rasb,” said the Governor—-' much too rash! You sempt your fate. [am much obliged to you for your behaviour to me, for a little extra meaey will be of the greatest ulility to meat the present moment. I hike you, captaiu—inudeed I dol” “fam giad tu hear it.” “and w& proof of it.” addod the Governor, ceming a step closer, ‘1 will give you a word of advice, and I only hope you will have sufficient good sense to act in accordance with tt.” “Weil,” sxid Dick, “I am prepared to listen to any suggestion you like to make, but I cannot pledge myself to act iu accordance with it.” “Weil, then, my advice is not only to you, but to all your companiuns, to take the very first opportunity you cap find of leaving England. It is truly too hot to hold you, and £0 you will find to your cost.” Dick uttered a half-impatient exclamation. “You receive my advice with disdain,” said the Governor, with a slightly-mortified air. “ But, then, 1 know very well good advice is generally thrown away. This is good advice, as anyone would tell you who had considered your position. If you were only a little care- ful, you could manage to get down somewhere on the south coast, and there engage a fisherman at some quiet spot or other to take you across the channel. He could run you ashore on some lonely part of the coast of France, and thére you weuld be perfectly safe.” ‘“‘ Well—well,” said Dick, thoughtfully, “I am ready to admit that the advice you have given is well worthy of consideration, and rest assured that when I meet my comrades the next time I will suggest it to them. For the present we must say farewell, aud I hope, without meaning any Offence to you, that we shall never meet ain. * Farewell, captain!” said the Governor. “Ido not echo your wish, for, as I said before, I rather like you; but if we do meet, I really hope it will be in some place where you are in safety.” “Thanks for the wish,” said Dick. ‘ And now again good-bye! Dig a little deeper, and you will find the re- ward | promised you. In spite of obstacles from which most men would have shrunk back with alarm, Dick Turpin has been as good as his word.” He turned abruptly upon his heel as he spoke, and vanished almost immediately from the sight of the Governor, who, without further delay, dropped down upou his knees again, aud resumed his task of digging beneath the tree. CHAPTER CMXV. THE STRANGE ADVENTURE THAT DICK MET WITIl ON HIS WAY TO SOMEFIELD. Dick had some little difficulty in finding the cart, but not much ; and, haviug succeeded, he once more climbed into his seat, aud set the horse in motion. The right had been an unusually dark one, and now, strangely enough, although daybreak was approaching, it positively grew darker, so that Dick had to make hig way with the greatest caution—in fact, he trusted more to the instinct of his* horse to keep him clear of any ob- struc ions in the path than he did to his own eyesight conswyuently the heath was crossed in safety, and when once hie emerged upon. the road, Dick felt in a position to resume the command Applying the whip unsparingly, he induced the wretched animal to make sorething like tolerable progress along the npsd. It was still necessary to keep a sharp look-out, although Dick was perfectly familiar with every object sround— in fact, there were few paris round London that he waa better acquainted with than with this, lu order to reach Somefield, it was necesséry to travel by the Oxford Road, without a eonsiderable cirovit was made. Now Dick felt by no means inclined to adopt this oOUrRe. DESCRIBES VOOKS =) a (E(@) (C(O)