Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

/ mind that! r, 2 ; oe woe ; vs a ny >* ms 3 . =, he’s right—he’s right!” said the tollkeeper, and as he pronounced the words he advanced with the key in his hand, and undid the padlock. ‘“t Here—here, my fine fellow,” said the chief officer, as tmey passed through, “ what do you mean by keeping us waiting like you did ?” “ Why, t cause I thought it was all gammoun.” “ What was . ‘l gammon ?” “Why, what an inquisitive man you are!. Woald you stop on your business, and keep me here in the cold, jest for the sake of answering ‘ew questions?” — There was a silence among the officers at thig, and they waited for the one who had command of the party to speak. PThis officer advanced a little from the rest, an., 4:nking his voice to what ho intended to be a very solemn and warning tone, he cried : ‘Os “Look here, Mr. Tollkeeper: I’ve had my suspictens of you for some time, and I shall keep an eye upon yex— You Know who we are—we are ¢ flicers of police.” . ‘Ha, ha, ha!” roared the tollkeeper, pretendiag t< be convulsed with mirih—‘ha, ha, ha! Why, se you are! Well—well, now, that’s what I call an excelient joke— oh, it’s capital! I never guessed it would be half so rich as this !” These words put the finishing touch to the officer’s patience. “You grinning fool!” he exclaimed. ‘ What do yeu mean by talking such d—d nonsense? What is there to laugh at, I should like to know ?” “Well, wait,” said the tollkeeper—“ wait, and in about two wordsel will tell youall about it. Are you all listen- ing?” “ Of course we are '” “Well, then, about five minutes ago, or it might be ten, or perhaps even more than that.” “Qh, d—n you! Never mind being so particular about the time!” roared the officer, in his impatience. ‘Can't you see we're in a hurry ?” “Well, I thouzht you were,” said the tollkeeper, com- vosedly, ‘‘but why do you stop here ?” ‘To know what you have to tell us,” was the answer. ‘Tn one word say have you seen aman mounted ona first-rate bay horse?” “Oh, yes,” said the tollkeeper—“ many a time !” “But I mean to-night, you fool—I mean within the last few minutes!” “Well, yes, 1 have,” was the reply. exactly what I was going to say ” “Oh, wasit? Well, go on, then—why don’t you speak cat ?” “T thought I was,” answered the tollkeeper, with great gravity. ‘But, however, Ish uld think it must now be nearly a quarter of an hour ago since I heard some one ride up and bawl out ‘Gate—gate—-open the gate!’ So I jumped up in a minute, and ran out to see who was there.” ¢ Well—well, what did you see 7” “Why, a man in a tall hat seated on the back of a first- rate bay horse.” t “That's him,” cried the officer— that’s him—that’s him ”’ “T know that.” “Oh, you know it, do you? It strikes me you ar tou knowing by half, and ! shouldn't wonder if some day your knowledge doesn’t bring you i4to tzgouble.” ‘“‘ Well, there’s some consolation %& *hinking,” replied the tollkeeper, ‘‘ that you will never have to tear anything on that score—I'd warrant that for a thousand pounds !” At this there was a roar of laughter among the off cers —a roar of laughter at the expense of their chief, who was so furious with rage that he swayed to and fro in the saddle like a drunken man, and seemed in imminent danger of pitching to the ground. “As 1 said,” continued the, tollkeeper, not wishing, perhaps, to push matters too far—“as I said i saw this chap on a bay horse, so says ho to me: “+ Open the gate quickly—I’mrin a hurry “So I did, and I said: “¢Tuppence—tuppeace !’ And what .o you think he geve me?” ‘A guinea, perhaps?” guessed one of ihe officers. * Yes,” said the to¥ keeper, with pretended ad1:i7atj em. * That was just THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD. rt ae” ee ye, ee 7 Se A Ie ee ad oo ee oe ae te Pn he yas, Soy Ae te tine Ae Si Gt RO AE Ce eRe Se ele . a pn ee eS Po ae . OEE pales 0 ee “ “ PS. a" a wey wpe? . ~ aan “. - 2 ~~ % ~— 1563 pai a OE Raat a | ‘You must be a conjuror! That was exactly the amount, So I sa 2, ‘Wait s moment, sir—wait @ moment, and I will fetes: you the change.’ ‘“‘ And then says he: “Qh, no, my good fellow—keep 1t for yourself. I’m ia a hurry; but a party of friends of mine are on the road behind me. I have outstripped them, my horse is such a good one. But they will be coming on at full pelt, so, when you hear them, let them through the gate, and take the money for doing so out of that guinea, The change you can keep yourself.’” “Why, d—n his impudence!” officer, recovering Liinself that he said that ?” ‘Do you mean to call mo a liar ?” t be stuff—stuff! Why don’t you answer my ques- ion: “Well, of course he said it! Didn't I tell you as plainly as ever I could speak that he said it? And no sooner had he spoken the words than he was off towards Ix ~don like the wind. But £ was only half awake, you know,’ continued the tollkceper, “and didn’t notice him particularly, and I thought he wes quite in earnest in what he said. I never dreamed he was a highwayman, and that officers ere in pursuit of him. But, oho! what a rich joke it is. Why, I shall never forget it to the last day of my life! It’s grand !” But the officers did not seem to appreciate the joke half so well, and the one in command, riding back to his fellows, said, in a low voice: “T’ve got my suspicions of this fellow, but we'll serve him out another time. I can see through the scheme quite well—perfectly well !” ‘Oh, can you?” was the whispered question coming from the lips of many officers. “Yes; no doubt Sixteen-String Jack bribed him to de- lay us all he could, and he has managed it very cleverly —I must say that. He counted upon getting a good start, and now he’s gct it, and no mistake! We cannot do better than ride on. We must learn news of him be- fore we go much further. Are you agreed to that?” “Oh, quite—quite !” ‘‘ Then follow me,” was the answer, and then the chief officer, turning round to the tollkeeper, who had strained his ears in a vain attempt to catch what had been said, he exclaimed: ‘‘ Good night to you, my clever friend—good night! But it’s d—d odd to me if I don’t interfere with your pleasant little occupation one of these days, and put a stop to it.” “You be blowed!” said the tollkeeper, sulkily, and ag he uttered the words he turned reund, walked into his little wooden house, and slammed tbe door shut behind him. roared the chief “Do you mean to tell me CHAPTER CMXLIX. SIXTEEN-STRING JACK MEETS RATHER SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WITH HIS OLD COMRADE CLAUDE DUVAL. SIXTEEN-STRING JACK, as the reader will readily believe, felt by no means comfortable while this humorous scene was taking place between the police officers and the toll- keeper—in fact, it may be affirmed that he saw nothing humorous in it, and bitterly repented having trusted him- self with this man. He considered that to behave as he was behaving was like playing with a lighted match close to a barre] ¢f gun- powder. However, the highwayman was at last released from the tender hooks of suspense on which he had remained so long, by the tollkeeper returning to his house, Just as the door was slammed the police officers, with a parting curse, struck ‘purs into their horses’ flanks and galloped off. V'he idea that kad taken possession of thcir minds was a very reasonahls ene indeed. What could be more pro- bable than taat this tollkeeper should undertake to keep them waiting at the gate as long as he was able? Convinced that nothing else would help them but speed, they continued at a rapid rate, and soon the sound of their horses’ fect completely died away. Not till then did Sixteen-String Jack venture te speak, ‘ EONNIEOOOKS @ (E(0)