Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

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Dest ank cae ets aks x ee a a> ris” eA 4 * .s > uf : ° BEAT, THE ENIGHT . * ye ‘\ 4 ‘ - + VO 4, AA ’ ats DAS de A ee ae : So ~ ox 5% J Ee ta . ax S_— __ Abono side of this building was a long, peculier stretch ___- Insome places the trees grew so densely that it was oe almost impossible to force a passage between their trunks, ____ ‘n others the trees were wide apart. | _ _ Nevertheless, the line of what might almost be called a? _ farest was unbroken. — —-—s«* Tt stretched away for a distance of upwarda ci two | I ___ miles—one end far in the open country, the othor close to St. the eastern wing of the hall. ¥ So conspicuous an object as this could not faik to be perceived, and Tom King immediately made his wa towards it at the nearest point, feeling sure that benea 7 its umbrageous shades ne should be better secured from _ observation than elsewhere. Just then, before the officers reached the summit of a hill commanding this portion of the country, Tom King trotted his horse gently beneath the overhanging boughs, — | He was in a moment lost to sight. | He glanced around him wit: considerable ouriosity -__ and interest. The wood was one of great antiquity, as was evidenced by the gigantic size of some of the trees, and hs could also tell that human footsteps rarely pressed the ground over which he was then passing. _. Under cover of this dense foliage, it was the easiest matter in the world for Tom King to draw quite close to the hall without being seen by anyone, and this was the first thing he set about attempting. . He came at last to one portion which had evidently _ been set aside as a plantation. Game was abundant, and at every step he disturbed so much that Tom began to feel apprehensive that the un- usual commotion among the inmates of this place would betray his presence. For this reason, he turned off to the right, intending to _ pkirt the plantation as much as possible. a In doing so, he found that its width was not great, and that one side of it bordered the road leading from the __-_-village up to the hall. } From the plantation a full view could be had of.the road for a considerable distance; but as no one seemed near, and as no sound broke the silence, Tom pushed _ steadily on. Passing the plantation, he came to what was probably, . many years ago, a shrubbery. ey But now the dwarfed trees of which it was composed had been suffered to grow wild. The winding paths were choked up with weeds and brambles, and the whole place had that aspect of neglect and desolation which so soon shows itself when any cultivated piece of land is allowed tu return to a primitive wildness. ‘This was as near to the hall as Tom thought it would be prudent to venture. Accordingly, he seeked a retired spot, which he only reached by forcing a passage for himself and steed through what was almost an impenetrable thicket. “Here removing some of the trappings of his horse, he unbuckled the rein on one side of the bit and used the thong of leather as a means to prevent his horse from siraying too far away. He secured him with it to the branch of a tree in such a manner, however, as not to prevent the horse from feed- ing at pleasure on the tall, luxuriant grass that was everywhere around. The steed being thus dispose? of, Tom began to look en 7 fs 6 Ly ‘ " - é Eelf. A long time had elapsed sinve ’.e nad taken any rest, and he was fully conscious that if he could only lie down somewhere and go to sleep, he should awake greatly re- freshed, and that it would do his wonnd more good phan aught else. : But for the pain he felt in his arm hs woula have climbed one of the trees and concealed hisiself among its dense foliage. This, however, he felt to be quite out of the quesuon. It is certain that if the highwayman had had the least suspicion that the police officers were so near at hand— hat, in fact, they were absolutely upon his track and __ searching for him in every direction—the thought of going to sleep would never have entered his mind, ‘* ‘ — ~- n ae ~ & ~ ah? et Foy eG w) ‘ntat , cSt ~~ Vee kL 3 4 Lae gel TO ied rere 2 ijy- -,. oO). 4g RY pi eae ee “5 en > Feet at : he ‘ % ~~ ~~ “ . my mare about him for some place where be migk* Sek repose him-, tee) eh TE eae SS bP 2 . ” i i - “yet os, wes OF THE ROAD. 1547 Pushing his way through another part of the thickest, | Tom suddenly found himself in view of a strange, ruinous, yet picturesque-looking building. F He did not need a second glance to show him that at some time or other it had been a summer-house, and there | Were indications that it had peen most tastefully built and 3 ge a | Now the woodwuck, of which it was chiefly composed, j was thickly overgrown with green moss, the growth of 7 which was not a little promoted by a large pool of stagnant water that partially surrounded it. ; Although so close to Wilfir Hall, it would have been easy for anyone to believe this ruined summer-houss to be miles and miles from any human dwelling. Profound silence was around—such a silence as is found only in the depths of a huge wood. “Tt seems £0 me,” murmured Tom, to himself, ‘“ that no one has trodden these neglected,moss-grown paths for ages, and I should think few people would visit that rotten old summer-house from choice. I think I might venture to enter it, and lie down there to sleep—at any rate, let the risk be what it may, I will do so.” | Without another moment’s hesitation, then, Tom King | stepped quickly across the little open space before the door of the summer-house, and entered the building. A strong, disagreeable odour of dead leaves and de- caying vegetation saluted his nostrils, and the atmosphere within was so damp that it sent a shiver through his en- tire being. ‘‘ Not over comfortable quarters,” muttered Tom, his teeth chattering slightly as he spoke. ‘ Yet still I may be safe, and, after all, that is the principal consideration, even though I do catch an ague by sleeping here.” A dim, dusky kind of twilight prevailed in the interior of the summer-house, and so he had to grope his way forward until he reached the side opposite to the door- way. Then, selecting what seemed to him the darkest corner of al) he gathered together a number of dry leaves that had been blown in by the wind, and, having arranged them something in the shape of a couch, lay down to sleep. So entirely was he overcome by long want of rest, fatigue, and the exhaustion consequent on the loss of blood he had sustained, that scarcely had he settled him- self in a tolerably comfortable posture than his eyes closed, and in a few moments he was in a deep slumber, from which it would have required some very unusual noise to have awakened him. How long he might have remained in this position he knew not, and had no means of ascertaining. He fancied, however, at last, that he began to dream, and his dream was that two persons were at no great dis- tance from him, conversing together in low but earnest tones. He strained his ears and listened, but, to his surprise, could not make out a syllable of what was said. Then shortly afterwards he became aware that he was not in reality dreaming, but that he had just woke up from his deep sleep. He almost started with surprise when, on opening his eyes and looking around him, he found that the interior | of the sammer-house was much darker toan it was when he closed his eyes. Then it was only dusky and obscure—now it was pro- foundly dark, save and except that he could perceive through the open doorway a small patch of night sky. But ihe voices continued, and the next thing Tom mais out was that two persons were standing near the decor of the summer-house conversing with each other. 2 “Do not think of leaving yet, Ernest,” said a voice, the tones of which sounded strangeiy familiar to Tom’s ears--“‘do not think of leaving yet. Who can say what changes may take place when Roderic returns ?™ By the time the voice had finished speaking, Tom was able to make out where he had heard it before. It was as he was leaving tie hall early in the morn- ing. XY will stay, Ellen, if you wish it,” said a male voice —“T will stay, because [ can refuse rthing which yoa ask.” “T care not for the reason,” was the faint reply, “se (E(0) 0)(0)(0) =) a <SiGO