Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 204: what you’re looking at

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

te his steed, and the horses at once broke ito a long, stretching gal/op, thatin a short time carried them away from the ruins of the old castle. CHAPTER CMLVIL RETURNS TO DICK TURPIN AND MAUD DF THE OLD QUARRY. AT length we return to the deep, moss-grown excavation where Dick Turpin and Maud had found a refuge. It will be recollected that after Dick had congratulated himself upon the safety of the place they were in, Maud had suggested at the same time its disadvantages, and while she spoke, Dick felt, with an uncomfortable sensa- tion at his breast, that should the officers become ac- quainted with his whereabouts, he would be in a trap indeed. They would only have to guard the one outlet, and then advance and take him prisoner, alive or dead. Painfully apparent as this was to his own mind, he etrove to make it appear otherwise, and affected only to laugh lightly at Maud’s fears. But she by this time knew him too well to be so deceived. Her heart sank, therefore, within her breast for tho momentary gleam of satisfaction that she had experienced was quite extinguished. At every slight sound she would start nervously and shudder; then, bending forward, stretch her sense of hearing to the utmost. But the thousand and one odd noises that broke the silence of that deserted place passed over withcut any result; but by the time morning dawned she was com- pletely worn out with nervous agitation. It was not untH long after daylight prevailed above that the/glimmer of dawn made itself visible in the depths of the old quarry. y slow and imperceptible degrees, however, the light increased, and one by one, the rugged features of the place were brought into view. Dick and Maud both looked around them with a curiosity not unmixed with admiration, for the huge _ masses of stonework looked picturesque and grand. The bottom of the quarry was of a much greater extent than Dick had at first imagined. The ground of which it was composed was broken and uneven, yet, strangely enough, vegetation thrived there, and in many places trees of a tolerable size were growing. There was a little cascade also, the dancing waters of which made pleasant rippling music, and which, a sun’s rays shone upon them, looked beautiful indeed. ‘*Come, Maud,” said Dick, in as reassuring a voice as he was able to command, “look around you, and feel thankiul for the shelter you have gained. Surely, now, if we can but escape the linx eyes of the officers we shall be happy and contented enough until the time of meeting arrives.” Maud sighed heavily, as she sald: ‘‘T hope so, Dick—I hope so.” “Do not despond. Come a little nearer to the water- fall; you see it isin the must sheltered portion of all. How soft that mossy turf looks. Lie down there upon it and sleep; you can wrap my cloak around you, and depend upon it, I will keep good guard.” n spite of the anxieties that were srowding at her heart, Maud, who was worn out the excessive fatigue she had undergone, looked longingly to the spot to which Dick pointed It seemed, indeed, like some naturally-made couch. “You are sure,” she said, pleadingly, “that you will wake me at the first approach of danger ?” “Tl will—I promise you faithfully I will.” “Then I am content.” Wrepping herself up in the cloak, as Dick dad sug- gested, Maud laid herself down to rest, and so perfectly was she worn out, both physically and mentally, <hx slumber soon stole ever her. Dick remained watching by her side for some time after she slept; then, finding, at length. shat she was guite unconscious of all that was going on around, he tuxned aside, and muttered : SLACK BEES; Of, “Now, then, I will take the opportunity of making « h search all over this place, and ‘ascertaia whether there is any other mesus of leaving it than that by whieh I descended.” Thus speaking, Dick meved off, and fora /jng time was occupied in searching all the nooks and gorners at the bottom of the quarry. As he fully expected, however, he found that there was only One pathway by which the surface of the earth could be regained. “ That, at all events, is one comfort,” he remarked, as he folded his arms and fixed his eyes upon the side of the eacavation. “I know now that my foes can oaly approach me at this point, and while I keep watch there, all will go well.” A faint cry at this moment reached his ears. He recognised it, and turned round suddenly. Half a dozen leaps took him to the spot where he had left Maud. ; She had partially risen to her feet, and there was an expression of terror on her face. con Dick,” she cried, “‘why—oh, why did you leave me ?’ “Simply to look around. Allis well, Maud—quite well , for the impression left upon me by my search is, that no human feet save ours have tredden in this place for years and years.” Maud gave a sigh of thankfulness. ‘“‘ Moreover,” said Dick, ‘you need not fear the unex- pected appearance of anyone while you keep your watch upon yonder pathway. You can see how it winds zigzag down the side of the excavation. That, then, 1 am assured is tke only means by which a descent into the quarry can be effected.” Maud turned her eyes in the direction Dick had indi- cated, and no sooner had she done so than a frantic of alarm escaped her lips, while she clung frantically te his breast. “They come!” she said—" they come! Look—look, they come!” ‘“ Who?” “ The officers! Look—look, there!” Pick followed the direction of her finger, and then, a& tb, very brink of the old quarry, he saw several small Y gving objects—so small that they scarcely seemed like human beings. A second glance, however, assured him that they ware though, owing to the fact that they stood back a littl way from the edge of the precipice, he was only able to discern the upper part of their bodies. “ They may be officers, or they may not,” said Dick ; “ but at any rate, do not give way altogether to alarm—be of good heart. Follow me quickly ; we will get to the shade of some projection, and then, let the officers be as keen- eyed as they may, I will defy them to detect us.” Maud was half fainting with terror, and Dick found it necessary to raise her in his arms, and carry her to some little distance. He paused when fairly standing in the dark shadow cast by a huge overhanging piece of stone, the appearance of which was truly terrifying, for it seemed as though about to fall down on their heads. Although satisfied that he was thus tolerably well concealed, Dick had taken up his position in such a manner that he was still able to command a view of the narrow pathway and of the moving figures at the top. Whether they were officers or not was more than he could tell at that great distance, for the sun’s rays shining dow into the quarry dazzled and confused his eyesight. Both listened, too, with the utmost intentness, in the hope that some words uttered in a louder tone than others might be borne floating upon the air. But ne such words reached them—the distance was too eat. e Dick “~ppin's agitation and alarm~—more on account of his compaaion than himself—were much greater than any- one d have imagined by his manner. At length the officers, if such they were, retreated so far from the edge of the excavation as to be invisible. At that moment Dick drew a long breath of exquisite relief. “ They are gone, Maud,” he said—“they are gone. At will be well.” “ You say oe,” she replied, with a wan and sickiy smile, 4~ EoOmichoo cS (E(o) 3) f ~~ = —_