Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 206: what you’re looking at

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

1 ye at Ce pt oe aT kbs bras teeth ee a ha a @ ND REM Sc Mae mene na ae wh eae iia aint i vi ‘eat 5 1578 Wrapping his cloak around him, he lay down upon | sueceeding flash of which seemed more yivid than the — rear Piha eth Aube Sy “! a we a res ona at os iets Se a? BLACK BESS; OR, ah SEZ fi 4 ah ey Sek. poe te , the bank of moss, and closed his eyes in perfect con- preceding one. fidence of safety, and was soon asleep. No words can tell, however, what an amount of | in anxiety Maud suffered while he was thus unconscious. With painful intentness slie fixed her eyes upon the narrow zig-zag path, and remained gazing upon it till her eyes ached and every objact swam before her. Wearily and slowly the time passed on, yet Dick did not so muchas move, - To all appearauces he was as likely to sleep for some hours longer. Maud became somewhat more assured as time passed on, and she discovered that she was not interrupted by any sound whatever. She felt impelled many a time to arouse her sleeping companion, but every time she overcame the inclination, knowing well how much depended on his strength for the safety of them both. It was not, in fact, until after the sun had sunk, and a chill air filled the old quarry, that Dick awoke. He struggled desperately, and apainadk as though en- gaged in a conflict with some one. Maud’s voice recalled him to himself, “Bah!” he said. ‘‘ I have been dreaming,”’ ** And no wonder.’ ** Why, it is almost dark!’’ *Itis. Do you not feel rested ?’’ ‘I foel like myself,”’ was the heartily-uttered reponse. ** And you have heard nothing—seen nothing ©’ ‘Nothing at all,” answered Maud. “ The place has j been as silent as the grave.” ‘* So much the better, then. Rely upon it, we have feund at last a place of shelter. Only one thing is necessary to make it perfectly comfortable.” ‘** And what may that be P”’ Dick langhed ag he rephed : ‘Why food, Maud—tood! We cannot live wilhout it ; and now [| have awoke I feel so confoundedly hun- very that Ll could set to work on these hard stones.”’ Maud smiled, but it was only feebly and wearily. She was faint and sick for want of food, yet had shrunk from saying so, Dick noticed the change in her countenance at once, and divined the reason of it. ‘** Come—come,”’ he said, ‘‘cheer up! Don’t imagine this any obstacle. I shall speedily overcome it, rest assured,”’ ‘* How—how so?” Why, I will only wait until it grows a little darker, then I wille cautiously make my way to the top of the quarry. When certain no one is near to observe my movements, I will cross over the fields to the nearest dwelling I can find, and there obtain what we re- quire,”’ *“ But the danger, Dick—the danger ?”’ “Tt must be braved and met!” was the response. *’ We cannot remnin and starve here! Hest assured, however, that I will be cautious to a degree.’’ Maud was silent, for she felt unable to urge him to remain. ‘*“It has grown dark very suddenly,” said Dicks, look- ing around him. ‘Ah! I see now, that huge black cloud ha’ come up, and if we do not have a storm before long it is very odd to me,” ‘A storm P”’ * Yes; do not be alarmed, How is it, Mand, that the least thing seems to agitate you so dreadfully P”’ “ Hark—hark !”’ Maud held up her hand while she spoke, and just then, the low ‘muttering, rumbling sound of distant thunder reached their Cars, ‘“T prophesied aright !”’ said Dick. Soarcely had these words passed his lips than tae dark cloud he had pointed ont overhead discharged its contents, which came down not like rain, but like a ‘perfect sheet of water. ‘Back, Maud—back!”’ said Dick. shelter us to a great extent,” They moved back rapidly while he spoke, And the rain continued to fall without showing signs of any abatement. The rumbling of the thunder, too, increased in loud- ness, and began to be accompanied by ahtaag, each “The rocks will The peals of thunder at length became truly deafen- | go, and when the lightning flashed the whole interior of ban quarry was brilliantly lighted up. Maud was greatly terrified, aud clung anxiously to her companion’s arm, ‘We have nothing to fear here,”’ ke said, noticing her tremor, ‘‘and while the elements are thus at warfare we shall be secure from all interruption.”’ While Dick spoke, another vivid flash of lightning came for an infinitesimal portion of time. Iivery crevice in the rock-work around was clearly — revealed. Maud uttered a faint, low shriek, as she replied : ‘“No—no! See—see there !’’ : ‘* See where?” ejaculated Dick, hastily. ‘You are too late now,” said Maud, “all is dark.” * But what was it you fancied that you saw P” “Tt was no fancy—my eyes were fixed upon that partieylar spot.” Well, then, what was it P” ** Something like a human form !” ‘A human form P” Dick echoed, being unable to say anything else in his surprise. ‘*Yes—yes; I am sure of it.’’ ** And where was it P”’ ** Near the top of the pathway, down which it was slowly and with difficulty making its way.” *““Nonsense, Maud—nonsense; your fears have de- ceived you. Atany rate, be prepared forthe coming of the next fiash of lighning, which wil! doubtless be here in afew seconds; I will watch keenly too, and we will clear up the doubt. Are you sure there was only one P”’ “YT only saw one,’ was the answer. ‘“‘ There may have been others—I cannot say.” CHAPTER CMLVIILI. ? TURPIN WATCHES THE MOVEMENTS OF THE STRANGER IN THE OLD QUARRY. DICK EARNESTLY and intently Dick Turpin kept his eyes. turned in the direction of the path, while he waited with the utmost anxiety for the coming of the next flash of lightning. “Al though inclined to believe that Maud had seen what she had described only in imagination, yet he waited in great suspense to be satisfied whether she had been mistaken or not, Although searcely probable, yet, for all he could tell, the police officers might in some extraordinary way have managed to track him to the old quarry. Then again he thought that surely they would wait until the fearful storm had ceased. The rain which had been deseending in such torrents now partially subsided. But the thunder still rolled heavily. Then came a tremendous flash of lightning, more vivid and intense, Diek thought, than any he had wit- nessed. He was, in fact, half blinded by it. Maud again uttered a despairing cry. An ej: aculation at the same time escaped Dick’s lips. During the momentary illumination he had caught sight of ‘what was certainly a human figure descending the narrow, dangerous path, The glimpse he had was so brief that it did not enable him to ascertain whether this individual was habited as a police officer or not, He was, however, satisfied that he was alone. ‘Did you see him ?” asked Maud, as soon as the next peal of thunder had sufficiently died away to enable her to make her voice audible—“ did you see him P”’ ‘“T did—I did; but only one person. Did you catch a glimpse of anyone else ?”’ ‘1 did not,’’ “Than,’? added Dick, “the ciraumstance is most strange and peculiar, Whoon earth could he be who would on such a night as this venture to make the des- cent of this perilous path? It was dangerous enough when we descended—how must it be in sien intense darkness as this ?”’ ee.) Maud did not La Sa to fac OnMG Nae ‘SiC (eo) (se) a . a ae Ps 4: J ame ‘ . 4 7 i a. ho fi re jut 4 i ek } A 7 > * KY * i rey ee #7 ‘