Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

- i* = it ig a thousand wonders her riders were not flung yvio- lently from the saddle. Hick was taken completely at unawares, and ha par- tially lost his seat, and a less accomplished horseman than himself could never have regained it. Dick was puzzled beyond measure by @is suddes gtap- age. What could have been the cause ? He strained his eyes, but the obscurity apreared to thicken. He could distinguish nothing beyond his mare’s head, Black Bess had her neck stretched,out and her €ars projected forward, while she trembled from head t~ fee as though enduring the utmost fright. “What isit, Dick?” asked Maud, fearfully—“ what is it?” “Tt must be something in the way,® Dick answered— “some obstruction or other, though [ can see nothing.” He paited Black Bess on the neck while he spoke. then strove to reassure her, _ * Gently, old lass,” he said—‘“ all is well! forward—siowly! There—that’s it!” With very great difficulty, the highwayman succeeded in, persuading his mare to take a few hesitating steps in advance. She did not take more than a dozen before she again stopped, and this time she planted both her fore fect to- ecther firmly on the ground, as though expressive of a determination not to allow anything to urge her beyond that point. “2 “Oh for a gleam of light!” said Dick. “If the moon would only shine now as it did a short time ago, we should be able to comprehend the meaning of this mys- terious circumstance.” ‘‘But there seems no hope of it,” said Maud, as she glanced upwards and saw that the whole sky was covered by one huge, dense cloud. ‘Tt will not do to pause here,” were Dick’s next words; “it is impossible to say where the officers may be, and on this soft turf-land the hoof-strokes of their horses wouid be inaudible.” *¢ What is to be done ?” Don’t be alarmed, Maud—there is as yet no cause for fear. I will descend and grope carefully forward, when doubtless I shall discover what this obstruction 1s.” But this course seemed to Maud to be fraught with a thousand terrors, and so she clung so tightly to Dick that he was unable to alight. “Tarn her aside a little,” she said—‘'' then perhaps she will go on as before.” Dick thought it werth the trial, and puiled the rein. To no purpose, however. Black Bess would move neither to the right nor the left; in fact, she seemed to be growing more restive every moment. “There is no danger,’ said Dick, ‘and if I attempt to force her she might turn round and gallop in the way we have just come, and that would be death.” liaud felt this, and reluctantly removed her arms. Without another word, Dick slipped from the saddle to the ground. Retaining his hold upon the reins, he stooped down, and, with one hand outstretched before him, groped for- ward. He was startled by a slight exclamation from Maud, and paused. Just then, a faint, misty light began to creep over all things. He knew then what had produced Munud’s exclamsa- tion Glancing up, Le found that the moon nad reac zd ene wortion of the dense cloud less opaque than tho eat, and through this partially-transparent medium she slrone with a dim and sickly lustre, yet her light increase@ as the clouds drifted onwara. Dick looked down again, and then he staggereaé back, nitering a loud cry of alarm, which almost had the effect of causing Black Bess to break from his hold. The shout was echoed by a shriek from Maud, for both had looked down on the ground at the same monient. What words can express the horror —~ Forward— ey fell upon making the discovery that they had paused upon the | around him was brought into full view, as though by the very verge of a huge exca ation, so wide and so deep >» a. ‘ at A) We oe a a oe aa” We Pye, © et “ mr 3 ° 4% bene reba ha: 2 5. 4, .*>o4 > Br ate ee Ss ow tt y BLA 3K BESS; O8, that the misty, uncertain light was insufficient to reveal the other side or its lowest depths. Black Bess, when she placed her feet so determinedly upon the earth, was litths more than a feot from the brink of the abyss. ; : Dick himself, when groping forward, had been so close to it, and so near falling down, that the bare recollection of it made hia brain spin round and round. It was only for 2 moment that they were allowed the opportunity of taking a glance at the excavation. The moonlight again faded away, and all was obscurity 2s before. Maud trembled s9 excessively with fright that she eould scarcely retain her seat. By an effort, Dick recovered himself from his conster- nation. “A fortunate escape,” he said—‘a most fortunate escape. Black Bess,” he added, patting his mare upon the neck while he spoke, “once again I owe you my life, for without you I should surely have perished.” ‘‘T am terrified to death!” said Maud. ‘ Back—back! Come aoe back—I cannot remain so close to the verge !” ‘You are safe,” said Dick—" quite safe. Tho danger is over, now that we know it. \We have had a fright- fully narrow escape from an awful death, and it will be long indeed before I can forget it.” ; In spite of his efforts to speak calmly, it was easy to ze thzt Dick was much overcome. Propasly he would have given way still more to the feclings that would naturally be called forth by such an event, bnt for the recollection that he still stood in great dancer. The officers were stil! behind him—how close he could not say. ¥ It was rather difficult now for Dick to determine what course to take. The transient view he had obtained of his surround- ings sufficed to show him that the excavation was of vast extent and very irregular in shape; thus to attempt to skirt it in the darkness would be attended by no little difficulty. Yet he felt that this was what must be done. He could not advance, and to retreat would be only to diminish the distancs he had been at such pains to place between himself and the police officers. “T will not mount at present,” he said at length. “ Re- main where you are, Maud, and I will lead Bess by the bridle, then you may be sure that all will be well. I will not put my foot down until I know that there is firm earth to place it on.” Mand remained silent, and Dick took her silence for consent; but it was more because she feit her emotions so great as to obstruct her utterance. Stepping lightly and carefully, as he had promised, Dick advanced, taking care to keep as far away from the brink of the abyss as he was able. From time to time he looked up anxiously towards the sky above. 1 The wind was increasing in force and steadiness each moment, and drove the clouds along at a tremendous rate, so that he indulged in the hope that ere long the moon might break forth again and light him on his way. As well as the rushing of the wind would let him, he listened, but he could hear nothing of his foes. Yet they might be close behind him, though, when he took into consideration the length of time Black Bess had been going at full gallop, he searcely thought it pos- sible. a There was e conscf¢tion to be found even in the dark- ness. . If it conceaied his pursuers from him, it also concealed him from them, and it also multiplied the chances of missing him, In so * an obscurity 2s that tt would be hard in- deed to kcep upon his track. Once more the sky began gradually to grow iighter, and fag away on the horizon could be seer a long bright ° streak, which appeared rapidly te widen as the clouds came driving on. He soon found that this was a rift of considerable extent, and w «+ the moon entered it again, every object magic stroke of some enchanter’s wand. comicbooks