Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

ie \ if : e+) ~~ beso if & vl mA Abr Loos ‘ iM: ie) - cay , PF Ty . . Ye ra : “dow was defended only by one perpendicular iron bar, which looked to be far enough away from the wall on either side to allow his body to pass through. Clinging tightly with his left hand, Tom reached out with his right, and took hold of this iron bar just men- tioned. _ By the aid of this he was able to draw hir’7rll up sed _ higher and higher, As he expected, there was just room to alow hi head and shoulders to pass between the wall on one side and the bar on the other. He looked down, and for a moment felt ratheu giddy. He saw, ata great height from the ground bezeath him, at all manner of angles and at varying depths, the root of the building, and from his position he made out that he was in a kind of circular turret that rose up frem the centre. © * ; | eo For what purpose this tower was designed he knew not, but just then he was startled by hearing a clock strike the hour. The sounds were sonorous to a degree, and Tom then found that above him was a large turret clock. vs He looked down, and wondered how ha should es- cape. ‘He was no longer surprised that the window should have been left comparatively so unguarded. Few, indeed, would be able to cHimb up to it at all— those who did would naturally hesitate and shrink before they attemptea to lower themselves from such a height. Indeed had not Tom King had a price upon his head, and knew that so many were thirsty for his blood, he w uld have banished all further contemplation of making his escape. | The remembrance of these facts, however, nerved him to such deeds as would make others not similarly situated shrink back appalled. | a The distance to the roof immediately beneath the win- dow was considerable, and, moreover, this roof slanted at a very sharp angle, so that in dropping upon it it would not be possible to retain any hold. ~ ; | Seeing, however, that rolling down the tiles he should only fall into a gutter formed by another portion of the root sloping from an opposite direction, Tom King re- solved to run the risk. It was a matter of some difficulty to turn round in ' such a confined space as he was now in, but this feat _ Was accomplished, and he began slowly to lower himself - = - feund Sir Thomas and his gamekeepers! they have given «ge come trouble, but they shall pay forit! 1 through the window feet foremost. He continued to do so until he held only by his hands, with his body remaining stretched at the full length of his arms. He did not dare to look below, to hesitate, or to think upon the consequences of his fall. He shut his eyes and released his grasp. He came with a sharp shock upon the tiles, several of which were loosened by the violence of his fall. Half sliding, half rolling, he- continued to descend autil brought up by the gutter of which we have made mention. _ Here he remained for some minutes, only partially in possession of his consciousness. But what sense that remained to him was fully occu- pied in listening, in order to ascertain whether any alarm had been given by the noise he had made. So far as he could tell, however, all was well, and at length he scrambled to his feet. He found that he was badly bruised, but as yet did not suffer much pain—that would come in time, no doult Judging by what he had already accomplished, Tom King had little more to do, and yet it was no easy task to look forward to having to reach tle ground from the top of that lotty habitatioa. But Tom scrambled over the roof tops until he reached the outer parapet. Along the inside of this he crept until he had almost made a circuit of the building. » Then he came t a spot where there was another roof below him, apparently belonging to some outbuilding. Siraining his eyes, he could make out bencath him - something that looked like a large yard, with stables on - one side of it, and coach-houses on the other. _ “Ah!” he said, “this is the place to descend. Gon- V6 lost one THE SNIGHT OF THE ROAD, horse, but I”] take good care not to quit these premises until I have supplicd his place with the very best animal to be found in his stables. And here goes, for the sooner I am off the better.” Tom then, with great daring and apparent recklessness, climbed ever the parapct, and by the aid of an iron pipe fixed against the wall, slid rapidly dowe until his feet rested on tho roof beneath. eoweert oow CHAPTER CMXXXI POM “INS ESCAPES FROM HIS TEMPORARY PRISON, ANB PROVIDES HIMSELF WITIIT ANOTIIER ILORSS. THE further progress of Tom King was, comparatively speaking, easy enough. From this roof he descended to another not far beneath it. . From that to another outbuilding, and then to the geround. Scarcely, however, had his feet touched the Yound aa, with a suppressed, savage growl, a dog sprang at im. ete It was one of those sly, treacherous animals which give no warning of their presence until within reach of their Victim. Tom King, however, partly in surprise, and partly in dread of receiving a bite from this savage creature, gave such a bound that he escaped his fangs. At the same monient his hands came in contact with a pitchfork that was resting against the wall. To seize hold ci this, and use it as a weapon of defence, was the work of a second. The dog came rushing on, and then received sucha blow as sent him back howling. With desperate courage he renewed the attack, and Tom King, being more self-possessed than before, raised his weapon, and waited patiently. When the moment came, he dealt the animal a blow that stretched it senseless, if not lifeless, upon tne ground. But all this had not been done without creating a great deal of noise. Indeed, there seemed every probability that the alarm would in a moment be raised. : Had he been so minded, however, it would have been perfectly easy for Tom King to have made his escape from the yard at that moment, but he determined to carry out the intention he had originally expressed, and accordingly darted at full speed towards the door leading to the stables. The door was not locked, but merely latched, that being considered quite suflicient protection, for the grooms and stable-helpers all slept close at hand. Fully impressed with the necessity of making the utmost speed, Tom King seized hold of one of the horses —the first one he came to—and led it out. On the end of the stall had been hung a saddle and bridle, and these Tom flung on rather than properly placed them. One bound placed him in the saddle; then, bending his head low down upon the horse’s neck, he urged him forward, and darted through the door into the yard. This was a proceeding that took greatly by surprise, and much disconcerted, a man who, having been aroused | by the barking of the dog, and yet not knowing what had cauced it, had descended to ascertain what was the matter. : Seeirg the stable door open, he hed hastened towards it, and he had just reached the eshold when ‘Tom darted forth in the manner we have described. The man was thrown down ai once, and with a pro digious clatter the highwayman reached the yard, By this time, however, the alarm had been given generally. The gate leading into this yard had been left open by the gvmekeepera, and ‘om saw a man hurrying to cloze it. Luv spurring his horse savagely, he ceused the animai to start off at full gallop. The gate was passed before anyone had time to close it, and the next moment Tom King was making his way at a tremendous rate across a large piece of smooth, ievel turf. He ie now that he had nothing to fear, yet was never. Gomicbooks () (E(@)