Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

: re first drew » long breath of relief, then he ejacu- ated: “Thank goodness, they have gono at last!” “Yes, at last,” said the tollkeeper, wiping the teary from his eyes, which laughter had brought ccere ‘Ch, Ishall never forget this aight! It’s a gloricue wkel—a magnificent joke! I would not have missed it ter a thousand pounds !” Well,” said Jack, “whatever I may lave fei a ehort time ago, 1 am by no means disposed ~ quarrel with ou now, because i cannot help admitting that you have rought affairs to a very happy conclusion. Iam much beholden to you, and you will find that Lam the last man in the world to allow any favour to go unrequited.” ‘Tam glad to hear you say that,” said the tollkeeper, “as I shall not be above recei¥ing whatever you in your generosity may feel disposed to give, simply because there is no knowing. what charge the oflicers may bring against me, or how soon they may get me turned out of my present situation; then I should want some kind of recompense.” “ You shal} have it,” said Jacl, ‘‘and have it freely. I wil] give you my word that before many nights are over you shall receive much moye in return for this service than ever you could expect.” “Rieht!” said the tollkeeper. “You come by your money casy enough, and therefore you ought to part with it freely. Upon my word, it’s a jolly life, and I’vea good mind to turn highwayman myself.” “Just as you like,” said Jack. ‘‘But I think now, with your permission, I will make myself scarce.” ‘“Y’es, yes,” said the tollkeeper, “by all means. I \ught to have told you that myself. ‘There’s a proba- bility that they will stop somebody and make inquiries before they go much further. It is impossible to say, indeed, how soon they may learn that no one answering ycur description has passed along the road.” “Phat’s precisely what I thought myself,’ was the reply ; ‘‘and so, as they are riding so comfortably on to Lorelon, I shall take just the opposite direction, and very scon there will be a good distance interposed between a3.” “BO there will,” said the tollkeeper; “and though I am sorry to part with you, yet I cannot ask you to atay.” “Open the gate then,” said Jack, “and I will be off. i needn’t tell you who 1 am. Perhaps you may guess it.” “ Yes—Sixteen-String Jack, or I am much mis- taken.” “The same,” was the answor. ‘And if you know anything of me you must be aware that when once I pass my word for a thing I never go back fromit. 1 nave spoken to you about the reward: depend upon it it shal] be yours ere long.” “ That's quite sufficient. And now just wait a moment or so while 1 open the gate.” With these words the tollkeeper passed out into the Open air again, his object being not merely to open the gate, as he stated, but also to ascertain that there was no one loitering about. He glanced around him as well as he could in the darkness which prevailed, but saw no one, and he was just about to insert the key in the padlock whea the faint but unmistakable sound of a borse’s teet reached his ears. He listened attentively for a few scconds, then hastened back to Jack. ‘There’s some one coming !” he exclaimed. “On horseback ?” ‘Yes, listen, and you will hear the sound.” Jack listened, and then cried : “Ves, I hear it plainly, but il is only one horseman who ig approaching.” “Right,” replied the tollkeeper—“it is probably oniy some chance traveller ; still, if so, jet bim mde by without seeing you, otherwise the oiicirs will soon get on your track.” “You are perfestly right,” said Jack. until he passes.” “He 4 soming a:ong in good style,” was the toil- keeper's next rerzark, ‘‘and he is going towards London. It may be one of the police officers who has been left behind by lis companions.” “fF will wate sis0K PESP; OR, — ee «Le oe rr LLL SS) et cos eer eee ee et ee — . “{f such is the case,” said the bighwayman, “te cluser I keep myseif the better. However, our suspense will soon be over.” | “'True,” responded the tollkeeper, as he knocked the ashes out of his pipe and refilled it ‘ Here he is now, close enoven.” , By the time he had completed tho cperation of igniting the tobace9, the horseman arrived at ih toll-gate. He struck sharply upon it with his riding-whip, and called out: “Gate—pate! Open!” When ixteen-String Jack heard those words, he uttered an ejaculation. ‘“‘Tush—-hush !” whispered the toliman. ‘ What on earth a tbe matter? Why, you will be heard to a cer- tainty !” “vo matter,” sed vack—" that’s a friend of mine: I know his voice well enough! I won'd swear to it from athousand! What in the world can bring him in this direction ?” ‘‘Are you sure it ia a friend?” said the tollkeeper, anxiously. “ Yes—yes !” The hammering on the gate was repeated, and another loud outery made to be allowed to pass through. But the tollkeeper seemed to think tlat part of his duties consisted in making everyone wait who happened to arrive when the turnpike gate was closed. He sallied forth at last, striving all the time to keep Sixteen-String Jack back. But the highwayman followed him closely, and took the first oppertunity of peeping over his shoulder at the horseman so as to make sure there was no mistake. The oil lamp that was burnirg dimly on one of the posts shone on Claude’s countenance with sufficient dis- tinctness to enable Jack to recognise it at once, He darted forward with ® ery of satisfacticn, but Claude, never suspecting such a meeting as this, stood immediately on his guard, for he could not tell but what this meant a sudden attack upon him. | “*Claude—Claude!” cried Jack. “Is it possible you us sa know me? It is your old comrade Sixteen-String ack ! ‘ Intpossible !”” ‘Look at me and see ! I have by tho merest chance in the world escaped from the police.” a “T am glad to hear it,” replied Claude, shaking his comrade warmly by the hand; ‘tl was full of alarm on your account.” “It would have gone hard with me,” said Jack, “ but for our friend, the tollman, here. He is the same who did Tom King such a good turn some time ago. Do you recollect ?” “Yes, perfectly well. Is your horse inside ?” “Yes, I will bring him forth.” ‘‘T should never have suspected it,” said Claude. “I should think it isa trick that might be played upon the officers over and over again.”’ ‘‘T] should never like to try it another time,” said Sixteen-String Jack. “ You cannot imagine how I felt standing there inside while they were surrounding the piace, and, as | might say, within reach of me.” “Not very pleasart either, 1 expect; but come, the soorer we make a move the better.” Jach was entirely of this opinion, so while the toll- keeper unlocked the gate, he led his horse out and mounted. ‘““Hemember,” he said, as he trotted through, and placed himse!f bv the side of Claude Duval—‘ remember what I have promised you. I shall not be able to keep my word to-zieht, nor could I say for certain I shall be here to-morrow; but wait a reasonable time with pa- tience, and you will find there will be no room for com: plaint.” “Right, capiain—that’s quite enough. Good night ta you both!” * Gooe night!” was the anewer, and as the words were pronounced the highwaymen put their steeds in motion and trotted off. “Well,” exclaimed the tollman, rubbing his hands briskly together and shutting himself up in his house, ‘if the ofticers don’t come back here before long and kick up a jolly row it’s odd to me!” This reflection, however, did not deter him from ver Eomichoo (E cS