Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

}- At! ee “yonder hill, I should not be surprised to find of sight.” them out of “Yet us hope so, at all events.” _ Ata geatle walk the two highwaymen permitted their horses to ascend the steep hill that lay before them. of their exertions had covered them with foam from The pocr beasts panted for breath, and the violence head to foot. “ Jack,” said Claude, after a brief pause, “it seems to me quite certain that it will never do for us to continue riding over the country in this manner.” “ But how is it to be avoided ?” “Why, by finding some remote or inaccessible place where we can remain guiet until the nine days have expired. While we are thus hunted from place to place, end occasionally kept in sight, the officers will indulge in the hope cf eventually capturing us.”’ “ That’s true enough,” said Jack, ‘‘and if we can only hide somewhere, they will soon grow tired of riding about to no object.” ‘Precisely; and that is why I think we ought to tern our attention to discovering some place that will answer our purpose.” * Yes, that’s all very well,” said Jack, ‘but the diffi- culty is where to find it.” ‘Can you suggest anywhere ?” “Not at the moment, I can’t. You see the worst of it is, the officers pop up everywhere, and in places where you least expect them—at that inn, for example.” Claude laughed. ‘You were over confident of your safcty there, Jack. But let us keep our object steadily before us. I have been thinking during the past few moments that there is, of was years ago, some miles from here, an old castle, or rather the ruins of one.” “Indeed!” said Jack. ‘‘ Where?” “Not far from a smal] village called Nealham.” “Nealham—Nealham ?” repeated Jack. “I fancy I aie heard the name before, yet cannot recollect | Ree “Tt is very likely,” said Claude. ‘Many, many years have elapsed since I saw the place, but I remember thinking at the time how well-suited it was for the purpose which we now require.” *‘ How far should you think it is?” “Not more than an hour’s good ride, and I believe that if we could only be so fortunate as to gain the shelter of its crumbling walls unseen, we might make certain of remaining there in safety and unsuspected for a much longer period than that which wo have to look forward to.” “] like the idea,” said Jack, ‘‘and certainty cannot suggest anything better. But stay—as the summit of the hill is reached let us pause and look back.” _ he highwaymen did so; but at the time the moon, being hidden by clouds, prevented them from seeing to any great distance, ‘IT cannot perceive them,” said Jack. “Nor hear them,” added Claude. “Come cn, Jack— don’t linger. The moon will soon break forth again, and when it does we are much more likely to be seen up here, than the officers are below.” “You are right; and so, without any more discus- sion, turn your horse’s head in tke direction of the ruined castle you speak of; when we see it we shall be better able to come to a conclusion concerning it.” “Tt may have greatly changed since I saw it last,” said Claude; “but that is a point only to be ascertained by actual inspection. But we need not gw so fast as to distress our horses, nor to prevent our conversation.” To this his comrade assented, and at an easy trot, which, without greatly fatiguing the horses, yet which got over the ground in very good style, they made their Way in an oblique line across the country, he clatter of their horses’ hoofs, however, and the rapidity of their motion proved a great hindrance to speaking, and so before very long pcriect silence reigned between them. But although they spoke not, theif thoughts were busy, for whenever they turned their attention to the probable position of their companions they had amule food far ture j he As they journeyed on, the clouds to a very great extent dispersed, leaving the sky clear. : ee ne tie . r - sae : Ee Re ee Ries ~ ¥ ke ’ ri ~~. ~: : 7 , be oa os Ot ee a) : a ” ¢ am, md .~% bs ine « “ re. ~ 4 or wy ‘ Sa om 4 - , 4 —) ’ int «th oP wy ee Ba + Ps 4. ing & F a * Tie a } 2 a Fo * * af A co te ae a “aoe : x "es “ . . «5 4 ‘ re i A 7 “h P - * - . ‘THR KNIGHT OF THH ROAD. a re EE ERS smi gy? oY Claude Duvyai was the first to break the silence which had been for ao long maintained. “Book, Jack!” he exclaimed, slightly reining-in hia steed, and pointing with his whip—“ do you see yonder, in the distance, something dim and shadowy, ou which the mcon is shining ?” Jack strained his eyes to the utmost. “T think I do see a something,” ke replied, “but I gcarcely know what.” : a 157 “You see the ruins of the castle I spoke of,” responded ~ Claude. “In a few moments you wiil be akle to per- ceive them with much greater plainness.” | This quickly proved to be the case, and Sixteen-String Jack looked with a very great amount of interest upon the scene that lay before them. ‘There lies the village some distance to the right,” exclaimed Claude, ‘‘and that’s why I am approaching the castle in this direction; I think we have all the better chance of reaching it unseen.” Jack nodded, but made no other reply, the fact being that his attention was wholly taken up by what he saw. Certainly, the ivy-grown walls had a most striking appearance. “T see scarcely any alteration at present,” was Claude’s next remark. ‘I could imagine that only a few hours had elapsed since I saw it last, so little change has taken place. But let us wait here under the shadow of these trees for a few moments. Do you see yonder cloud which is hurrying up? In a short time the moen will be covered by it, and then we shall be almost certain of gaining the interior of the ruins un- perceived.” Jack paused at once. His eyes happened to be fixed upon the large black cloud at the moment when Claude spoke, and some similar idea had suggested itself to his mind. They had not long to wait. In afew moments the light of the moon was entirely 3 obscured, and what might be termed double darkness prevailed, for so it appeared in this sudden withdrawal of light. “Now, then, forward!” exclaimed Claude. “Follow slowl¥ and carefully in my footsteps, for the ground here- about is rugged, and in many parts there are deep places, into which a fall would be unpleasant.” Sixteen-String Jack at once dropped into the rear, and Olaude Duval took his way onwards with a great amount of confidence, considering the nature of the ground and the length of time that had elapsed since his last visit to this spot. Soon after, and without any accident, the intericr of the ruins was gained. Claude led the way across the dismantled court-yard, and through a low-arched doorway, into what had evidently been at some time or other a chapel connected with the edifice. Walls surrounded it; but there was no roof, and on the ground grass was growing tuickly. “This will do excellently well, both for ourselves and for our horses,” was Claude’s first remark. “If we can con- trive to keep them near all will be well; and while we keep within these walls there will be little fear we shall be seen.” ‘‘ How intense the silence is!” said Jack. almost imagine it a city of the dead.” “Yes, so you might. I did not tell you, I think, the reason why this place is left so much deserted ?” ‘* No, you did not.” “Because of the strange stories current respecting it, You are not afraid of ghosts, I suppose, neither am I, but the inhabitants of this district are, and so the place is shunned by all—not from one year’s end to ancther does a human foot penetrate these ruins.” “Tt seems so,” said Jack, glancing around kim with scarcely comfortable feelings. ‘I never befere witnessva such complete desolation.” *Tt is desolate,” said Clauae, “and we cught to re. joice at it. At any rate, while we are here, should eny- one be foolhardy enough to approach, I will undertake to give him such a fright that he will never venture here again |” ‘“ You could “But what's the story, Claude?” said Jack, following Olaude’s example by sitting down on a fragment of falicn magonry. (E(0) 0)(0\(0) AMG (A) SS (E(0)