Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

+g en —————— : “ a, —— : ca | +e . _" . ne —~ On this occasion he was able to see the general con- _ Bguration, but not the depth, of the place into whic ‘ had so narrowly escaped falling. ) Hitherto Je could only guess at the character cf the excavation... : Now ke saw that it was a huge stone quarry. From various signs that ho saw around he Soatinded that it had remained for many years disused. he strata of soft oarth that lay above the ston nud given birth to vegetation of all kinds, in most places growing in luxuriance, so as to give the quarry an aspect of rare picturesque beauty. | The sides were reeged, irregular, and steep. _ The guantity of stone removed must have been im- mense, for althongh he drew close to the verge and strained his eyes to the utmost, Dick was unable to per- ecive the bottom. ‘ At various places on tho sides, however, trees were growing out in oblique, fantastic fashions, while the splashing and rushing of water came distinctly to his ears, 3 ; The thought that entered Dick’s mind while gazing at this place was a very natural one, considering his posi- tion. _ Turning rouud first, so as to avail himself of the light of the moon while it lasted, he looked keenly in the way he had just come. | But to his great satisfaction no signs of the police officers could be perceived. ! “See here, Maud,” he exclaimed, when he had satisfied himself upon this point; “havo we not been fortunate in reaching this strange place 2?” : “ Hortunate ?” she repeated, in accents of surprise. “ Yes, surcly so; we have outrun the officers, of that I ain certain. You were asking me where [ should find a place of refuge. Behold, it is there. Chance has thrown it in our way.” But Maud shrank back in 30me dismay at the prospect of taking shelter in so wild and desolate a place. “ Yes,” continued Dick; “it is only in some such place as this that we can hope to remain in safety; we shall be dependent upon no one says ourselves, and therefore shall hive nothing to fear in the shape of treachery in the depths of this huge excavation. No one would thiak of looking for us; or if the place was visited, we should, ten to one, escape observation. Believe me, we cannet hope to find a better place than this.” “But how shall we. descend?” said Maud, becoming more reconciled to the idea of remaining in so glcomy 3 place, by the considerations of its safety. ‘The sidas seem to me like wails.” | “]n all probability,” returned Dick, “there is a somewhere leading down into its lowest depths. path we must find, and carefully pursue.” ** ] see no signs of it.” “Nor I at present. ath Vhat You can guide Black Bess, and while you are doing so I will creep close to tha edge of the abyss and make zood use of the moonlight while it lasts.” . Dick did not wait for Mand to make any reply, but going as close to the edge of the quarry as was consist- eut with safety, he walked rapidly along, looking keenly all the time, in the hove of discovering the path of which he had spoken. 7 For a long tim hoe 3awW nothing bearing any resem- blance to it. | In one place he saw wi.at looked like steps roughly hewn in the stone, but these were impracticable, It was necessary to find some sloping path, dewn which be could lead Black Bess. After much searching, he was at length rewarded. ; A narrow path was found, but it was so much over- hung py the stone tha it required a very quick eye in- deed to detect it. : heen attended with a great amint of danger, but now that danger was much increased by the presence ef a quantity of green moss, which seemed to rest upoa tbe surface of the stone, ud which changed to a Watery moisture beneath the feet. In all probability, however, tnere was no other mode of descent into the quarry save this, and accordingly Dick sh _ hastened to Maud’s side. gy tink RIE x5 Res, You w'll bave to summon up +s! your courage,” he ~- — Seite * a . Ca Morte 7” 5 a Was >. «Sa oot ie 3% J Paes a | THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. IR1B said, “for the task before you is a difficult one; but you must endeavour to gather confidence by thinking what safety we shall gain by adopting this course. Once fairly at the bottom of that quarry, we can bid defiance to all the officers in the kingdom. I am oonvinced they would never dream of looking fer uz there.” As Certainly nothing would have inspired Maue with more courage thar the thought that she was about in some way to contribute to Dick’s safety. She had always been in a state of perpetual alarm on his account, and thought how grateful would be the ehange could she but feel certain that for a time he was in no danger. Nevertheless, although she steeled ber heart well, her courage for a moment failed her when she saw the narrow, precipitous path down which she would have to muke her way. But, recovering herself with great difficulty, she said : “Lead the way, Dick—lead the way, and I will follow. It is necessary that you should take Black Bess by the bridle, and when I see you both before me I shall have confidence to follow in your footsteps.” “As you will,” said Dick. “It will, I expect, be no easy task “o lead Black Bess; but yet, with care, it may be accomplished.” . Accordingly, he took hold of Black Bess by the bridle, and led her towards the brink of the precipice. She shrank back in natural terror, yet did not hesitate to follow where her master led. Taking each step slowly and sarefully, Dick began ‘o descend. Black Bess slipped more than nce, and every time 4 pang of alarm shot through his breast. He knew how easy it would be for her to fall over the side of the narrow pathway into the depths belaw. | Maud, too, occasioned him much anxiety, and at every } moment he would look back, in srder to make sure that she was safe. But Maud, wisely making the resolution uot to turn her eyes in the lirection of the quarry itself, steadily stepped onwards, for the most part keeping her hands 2lose egainst the side of the precipice, acquiring additional confidence by this intangible handhold, After zgoing down some distance, they ‘ound them- selves upon a small fat piece of rock, or what the French would call a plateau, and hero Dick paused a ‘ittle while, in order to take a glance at that portion of she pathway which led down from this place. He endeavoured also to make out how much further he would have to descend, and as the moon just chen was shining brightly, he perceived, or fancied he perceived, among the many shadows down below, the tops of a few stunted trees, and the sparkle of running water. . The pathway presented much the game appearance as before, and it was entered upon with additional sonfi- dence... It conducted to a second plateau, from which they 3imilarly descended to a third, and from the third to the rough and rugged bottom of the quarry. Huge stones were lying about here and there promis- cuously, and ip some places grass and trees were zrow- ing. . Save and exceps tho rushing of the water, 2 profound ailence prevailed in this place, A cold ch‘ll wasin the iir, and the darkness was such as to hays a most depressing influence upon the spirits, for although the moon shone down into the quarry, yet she was net rear enough to the zenith to illumiue this its . lowezé depth. Oppressed and half terrified, Maud crept closer to’ Dick's side, who, however, was impressed very differently by ; } kis surroundings. he descent was very rapid, and must at all umes have “Safe now, Mand,” he said, and his voice sounded un- earthly and strange as it reverberated among the recesses in the stonework—'‘quite safe now. The officers will not find us here.” “ But,” said Maud, with a shiverand a sigh, “should they by any chance learn of your whereabouts, would you not then be completely at their mercy ?— would thay uas bold you as if iaa trap?” Eomichboo SAGO)