Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

aunt Fe SP SONS Eee 2 ee we - wo Ped ee 5 oe = ey Po ey? *, a” omy eo ate s . ri . es. t) --t/ sil te > *~ ay / = gh a +f e us . * - . * +A = bd # = 4 at Oa » ‘ iv nd _ a RBS, | pio NOR BREST <OR to ae : plpere~tne deta nn pereret -— s ot “ ae ot ine ty el ber Ape ee toad ee en ee oo -Kow ihe horse had al! his trappings on him, and Tom nad nothing to do, after gaining his steed, save to vault into the saddle Just as he plunged among the trees in the shrubbery, he looked back, and saw the officers coming round the angle of the hall at full speed.‘ They raised a loud shout, and trom this he judged cor- rectly that he had been seen. : With flying steps he made his way to the summer- house. On gaining it, he paused a second for breath, and then dashed through the thicket, heedless of the injuries he received in doing so. His heart bounded with joy when he saw nis horse was there just as he had left it. Seizing it by the bridle, he again pushed through the thicket at the least densest part, then wound rapidly among the trees until he reached an open space, when he sprang into the saddle. He made his way now towards the lane. He reached it easily and quickly, yet not before the officers had seen him and given another loud, thiilling cry. That they were fully in earnest Tom did not for a moment doubt, and so he gave his steed the rein, and determined to trust the rest to its fleetness. The officers came on in rare style, and here we may take occasion to remark upon what may at first sight seem rather strange, namely, that they did not make their appearance at the hall sooner. But the fact was, Elisha Coles himself and all the offcers looked upon Tom’s assertion that he had deen sent down to the village by Sir Ralph a3 an impudent, false assertion made for the purpose of gaining his ericih Therefore, all the time they had been searching about hieh and low, though it was pretty clear they did not penetrate the thicket where Tom had left his horse. At length, however, they had made their way to the hall. =: This movement was owing chiefly to the police officers, who believed they were once more baulked, though they had an excellent excuse for going to the hall and making a few inquiries, trusting in the event of doing this that some refreshment and hospitality would be offered to them. The result is known to the reader, and so need not be dvwelt upon any further. One more fact remains to be stated, and that is, in their search during the day they had managed to get so far as the next town, where the closest inquiries satisfied them that no one resembling Tom King in appearance had passed that way. Here they were so fortunate as to be able to secure fresh horses in exchange for those they had ridden so far. Moreover, these steeds were o: -ather more than averace quality, therefore the police oticers were de- lighted accordingly. It will thus be seen that they had every advantage in their favour on the present occasion. They had got a clear view of the highwayman, and all they had to do was to hang persistently upon his trail until they ran him down. Tom King, however, by no means despaired. Not only had he a most excellent opinion of the merits of the grey horse he had so singularly come into posses- sion of, but he had received from the owner of the animal a very flattering testimonial, for it will be remembered Mr. Grant called it the best there was in his stable, By this time, however, the eventful night had almost sed away. Morning had not yet come, but it was cold, cnill, and miserable, Without the ocenrrence of any particular incident, the chase was continued for a long time across the level open country, Tom King keeping a tolerably straight line, choosing his cc urse where the land seemed best adapted for speed. _ He pushed hia norse tu tne utmost, for he knew morn- ine was coming on, therefore he was anxious while it was yet dark to find some place of concealment or some kocebs O1 vailiiug uis ices ; “sre aenant of the sky had altered greatly. rc nes er eee Se eS ee eee eee ee OOOO ee OO oe LT ‘ 23 a . : * - 7 oye 2 a Shite gear 2 ; Ae ae i “oo was only at cccasional intervals that the moon poure@ forth her light. | This was in the highest degree favourable to Tom, : he noted it with the utmost satisfaction. Still, as time passed on, he began to grow anxious. His chances of finding some hiding-place before morm- ing had much diminished. All that remained for him to do was to continue urging his horse onward, and this he did unti! the speed attained was dangerous in the extreme. | So rapid was it that Tom noticed with great joy that the ofticers kept dropping further and further in the rear of him, until at length, when the moon broke out clear and bright trom among the clouds, he looked back and failed to perceive any sign of them. : But the country was level and open about that part, affording him no chauce of concealmert, and therefore, although it appeared that urgent speed was not quite so pressing as it had been, he did not draw rein in the least. ° Suddenly, however, the faint report of a gun reached his ears. The sound came from so far off that he was unavle to determine its precise direction. Yet be glanced all round him keenly, and shortly afver- wards another discharge reached his ears. | While galloping on at this fearful rate he came suddenly ones a hedge dividing the meadows from the high- road, He could not check the progress of his steed, so the obstacle was cleared, and the hedge on the other side of the road as well. Then he heard a loud and, as it seemed to him, as anery sou ' He turned in the direction of it, and to his intense astonishment found himself close to another troop of officers, so close that it was the greatest wonder in tha world he had not ridden over them. ‘* Twice,’ he muttered, “I have had this ill-luck. Why, the whole country must be up in arms. Well, ne matter, I have escaped hitherto, and my horse is good fer another long gallop.” So saying, he applied the spurs with great vigour, anc¢ before the officers had time fairly to get in pursuit of him he had succeedé@ in obtaining a tolerable otart. The reader will well understand this incident, and re- member how Dick Turpin was at that time concealed in one of the trees, though this was an idea that never once entered Tom’s imagination. The report he had heard proceeded from the carbine which it will be recollected ‘le guard of the mail-cart fired so many times into the trap in the hop) of dislodging Dick Turpin. While the officers continued the pursuit they were not a littre mystified at the incident which had occurred. They could not for the life of them make out by what means Dick Turpin could have obtained & horse so quickly, and marvelled how he should come riding back in that direction. That it was Tom King who was before them, and not Dick himself, they never guessed, and even had they known it, no alteration would have been made in their actions. One highwayman was to them alucst as good as enother. They were anxious to obtaix the reward offered for their apprehension, and nothing further, It was the first chance too that these country constables had had of pursuing the redoubtable highwayman wkose name was so familiar to their ears, and they continued an their wey, running a hundred risks of their lives, in- tent on effecting a capture, and quite undaunted by the many failures that had attended others, Tom King’s horse, however, was now beginning to show signs of great exhaustion. ~ , It was with difficulty only that he Kept him going at the same pace, and every now and then he could feel tha callant animal tremble and stagger beneath him. On such occasions as these ‘Tom King would contem- - plate pulling up, and he would glance back at his pur. suers, On each occasion, however, he saw them distincy “or the officers flogged and spurred their own cattle me2t o> | BMbibderiess clowla hed made their appestance, ac? Y } werafuliy (E(0)