Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

weet pe PONE RA a? nak ve ail TN ..‘y MLACK BEES; OR, FRO Nel y+ a en RCN ET ae mpm ee une fact that the handcuffs wer. still about his ¥rists. ‘The coustable stood white and shaking with rage at the commission of so dreadful an act. To his mind, it was little short of sacrilege. The staff, after describing many eccentric curves in the air, fell at last in the middle of a huge, slime- covered pond, and was immediately lost to view. “ Murder!" gasped the constable. ‘Seize him, Simon! Held him—hold him tight! The world is coming to an end! He has insulted the King through me, his Majesty's unworthy representative!” “Yes, decidedly unworthy,” said Dick, at which words there was a general laugh among the villagers assembled. “Bring him along, Simon!” roared the constable, as son as he could make himself heard—“ bring him along— 1 will not dally another moment !” ‘‘ Now, look here, Simon,” said Dick—“ just say which way you want me to go, and I will obey; but don’t you try to haul me along, or you will find you have an ugly customer to deal with.” Simon fully appreciated the force of these remarks, so he made a sign for Dick to follow. The trio then marched along up the village street, the people following and pressing round, and the constable giving vent to such vague threats as— ‘‘T’]] make it hot for you, my fine fellow—TI’'ll let you know the consequences of insulting me! The instite- tions of this country are not to be overturned by a scoundrel like you! But you shall suffer for it; you shall know what it is to be a day and a night in my charge !” To these speeches Dick paid not the east atten- tion. He heard them, it is true, but his mind was busy with other matters. Chiefly he was curfous to know where his captors were eoing to lead him, and he looked piercingly in advance, hoping to catch an early sight of his destination. rom the constable and the other people of the village Dick felt he had little to fear in the way of recognition, although he made up his mind not to relax his caution to too great an extent. To his surprise, the long, straggling street of the village was quite passed through ; and as he looked along the road before him, he could perceive only one building, and that looked more like a huge summer-house than aught else. About a hundred yards er so beyond this was a toll-bar. %% quickly became apparent that this summer-house- lsoking building was the destination of the constable; and on drawing closer to it, Dick perceived it was the village cage, or round-house, where offenders against the laws were temporarily confined. Dick’s lips curled in derision when he found he was about to be committed to such a place. Although handcuffed, he felt there would be little diffi- culty in forcing his way out of it. By the instructions of the constable, Simon drew forth a nuge bunch of keys, and, selecting one key larger than the rest, he opened the door of the round-house. “ The blunderbuss,” ne said —“ bring out the blunder- buss!" At these words there was a general retrogressive move- ment on the part of the crowd. Simon entered tho little building, and quickly appeared with the weapon in questium. It was a huge, clumsy Jooking affair, and seemed as though it had been man-factured ages ago Dy some in- mate of the village. Uhe barrel was, as usual, of brass, but the bore was sneggestive of that of a cannon, while the bell-shaped mouth was as large as an ordinary basin. Dick looked with aiarm et this instrument of destruc- tion—not th..t he feared much fr. being fired at with it, but from nis idea cf tho awful consequences that most ensue to the person who was foolhardy enough to pull the trigger. “Ts it loaded, Simon ?” said the constable. “ Yes, sir, itis loaded. I loaded it yesterday.” “Well, then, just put these in additional, will your” And as he spoke, the constable pulled out of his pockes Pow a handful of nails, which he poured at once into the - Pepe aes mouth of the blunderbuss. ‘hey were then rammed tightly down, and the cca- stable, continuing his instructions, said : “Push him inside, Simon, and shut thedoor. Then sit down here on the edge of the stocks, and keep watch. If he attempts to escape—mark you, if he only attempta— don’t wait for orders to blaze away |” CHAPTER CMXIX. DICK TUR tN IS SECURELY LODGED IN THE VILLAGE CA@X, ‘AND SIMON KEEPS GOOD GUARD WITH BIE RLUNDER- BUSS. Simon handled the blunderbuss very carefully, and be- fore venturing to carry into execution that portion of the constable’s command which related to pushing the pri- soner into the round-house and locking the door, he lodged the clumsy, awe-inspiring firearm against one of the upright posts of the stocks which were placed facing the road and a little on one side of the cage. ‘‘ Understand,” said Dick again, when Simos came to- wards him, ‘J will not suffer inyself to be handled by anyone! If you want me to go inside, just say so.” Simon stood aside, and waved his hand. ‘‘In with him,” shouted the constable—“in with him! Why don’t you bundle him in, you lazy varlet? Do you think I want to stand here all the morning ?” ‘‘T am going, Mr. Constable,” said Dick—‘ I am going. But surely you are not in earnest in telling Simon to fire off that blunderbuss ?” ‘‘ In earnest ?” repeated the constable. ‘ Of course I’m in earnest! Whatelse should I be, let me ask you ?” “Well, then, if Simon bes any respect for his life he won't do it. I'd lay a wager that the moment the trigger is pulled it will burst, and be blown into a thousand pieces.” “Pooh, pooh—that’s no business of yours! In with him, Simon—ix with him, I say!” Dick walked quietly to the door of the round-house, tor he did not want to draw down upon himself any more of the public attention than he could possibly avoid. It was plain, however, to see that his words had pro- duced some impression upon Simon, for that individual eyed the blunderbuss apparently with anything but comfortable feelings. No souner had Dick crossed the threshold than the door was slammed shut and the key turned in the lock. At first he could scarcely make out what kind of place he was in, owing to the semi-darkness. But his nose was assailed by a most powerful and disagreeable odour, showing that the constable and his assistant were by no means careful to keep the cage as clean as it might be. Indeed Dick’s whole attention when he first entered this place was occupied in listening to what was said outside. “Don’t you mind what that fellow says about the blunderbuss,” cried the constable; “it’s all right. He only said that to frighten you. He’s a desperate character. There’s enly half an ounce of powder in it, and a quarter of a pound of duck shot. And, mark you, if he tries tu get out, you pull the trigger, and never mind the conse quences; but if he does escape, I'll have you taken up before his worship, and you shall be transported.” This threat appeared to produce a considerable effect upon Simon. There were some chinks In tne woodwork of which the cage was composed, and Dick had found one of them, to which he applied his eye. He epuld obtain a partial view o° what was going on outside. He saw Simon walk slowly towards the stocks, with something of the ali of & man who is walking to ine execttion. Then he beheld him pick up tne vlunderbuss wa: himself on a portion of the woodesa frame, sad thove remain on guard. “Don’t you move,” said the cessiahble—‘don’t you meve, on any account, until I come back te you 2x8 give you leave.” AMIE Lover <S (E(o)