Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 228: what you’re looking at

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

4-1) BLACK BESS; OR, ““ We shall see!” said Jack. “If you don’t think proper| ‘‘ Come,” he said, “no delay—time is presS!ng {” to hand over quietly, we shall take by force what we} With another hoavy groan tne farmer withdrew hia require.” hand from his pocket, bringing with it a good-sized “Oh! suali yenow? Thin I'd be obleeged if you'd | bag.” take a3 mach money as ye could out of me pockets and} Evidentiy, however, he could not make up his min@ to give me a little back again, for it’s none at ali I can find peeve it so easily, although in such a stete of mortal there.” ight. “None at all ?” But Jack saved him any further indecision by suddenly Diy il a ha’penny, barring one crown-piece, and tl:x* 2) enatching it from him. spint at the inn beyant, and where any more isto ox2eJ “There,” he said, “that willdo; andas the purse is from I don’t know.” tolerablv v7veighty we will trouble youso further. fiers, There was something in the man’s careless {es 41 d in | «ake the reins, drive off, and be thankful you have escaped the indifferent manner in which he treated the whol) of | with your life.” the proceedings that impressed upon the highweymen| ‘The farmer did not require a second bidding. the belief he was speaking nothing but the truth. With the utmost alacrity he snatched up the reins and “Then, if that’s the case,” said Claude, angrily, “ride | gave the horse a heavy slash with the whip. on! Only take this caution with you: if you mect apy He was quickly out of sight in the darkness, and as body, don’t say a word about us.” Jack tossed the purse up in the air and caught it again, “Fakes, thin, I won't, if you will make mea promise | he cried: in return. Of course you know where this road leads} ‘It's sheavy—very heavy—just enough for what we to.” require.” “Yes, to London.” “Then,” said Claude, “if that’s the case we cannot do “Shure, man, you're right. Now jist take notice. If | better than ride direct to the toll-gate, I shall be glad anyone should ax you for Patrick M‘Gear—that’s me, ye | to have that little business over.” know—just say you saw me on the high-road, travelling} ‘‘Agrce1; I have not the least objection.” straight for Oxford—do you understand that ?—and I’ll{ “Forward, then; we have but to follow this high-road be obleeged to you.” and we shall reach it in a short time.” With these words, the Irishman jogged em again,| No more was said by either of the highwaymen, for _ faking the road to London, 7 the speed at which they were going was such as to The highwaymen both laughed, in spite of themselves, | make conversation a matter of difficulty. though they were annoyed that the adventure should turn After a hard gallop, they at length came in sight of the out so unprofitable, because the probability was the Irish- } toll-gate. man would ere long make some one acquainted with their} Reducing their speed, they approached with a certain presence on the road. amount of caution, and it was fortunate indeed that they They had no time to erciaree any words on the sub- | did so. ject, however, for just then they distinctly heard the} Suddenly, from out of the shade at thea side of the road, rattle of wheels. about tw) hundred yards from the toll-gate, a man = ‘A light cart,” said Claude Duval, listening attentively. | sprang. * Now this, let me tell you, promises us a much better| Claude's horse reared and swerved, reariy unseating booty.” his rider. “Captains—captains |" said a voice. “Is it you?” “ Who speaks ?” asked Jack. “Do you not remember my voice? 1 am the toll- The sharp stroke of a horse’s hoofs upon the hard road now became distinctly audible above the rattle of the wheels, and it was evident that the occupants of the cart were rolling over the road in capital style. keeper.” The highwaymen shrunk back again to their place of “ Yes—yes, I recognise you now. Why are you concealment, and, shading their eyes with their hands, { bere ?” _ “To give you warning,” was the answet. ‘Do not linger here a single moment—pray do not!” “ Why not? What has happened ?” “Why, you see, they have turned me out of my situa- tion. In fact, { have been taken up before the magistrate, and only escaped by the greatest wonder in the world. But there is not time to enter into particulars now—som9 other time must suffice.” “Well,” said Jack, ‘Iam glad we have met. Here’s what I promised you.” ‘Thanks, captain, the amount comes most welcomely. And now I will tell you why I have been so anxious to waylay you here.” © What is it ?” . ‘Why, the police officers have gone to work very cun- ningly. One of them has taken my place at the toll-gate. He dresses just like me, and inside are a lot of his com- panions.” “Then they must have got scent of our intention to return,” said Claude. “Tt looks like it,” was the reply, “though I can’t make out how they can have guessed it; nevertheless, they ara there, and if you had galloped up te the gate you would both have been shot down or else captured—there was a certainty of one or the other.” “Tt seems, then,” said Jack, ‘that we are indebted to you for our lives on this occasion.” “Yes, gentlemen, and I am indebted to yeu for this rnoney, which will make me independent for the reat of my life. But hark!’’ he ejaculated. “ Quick—quick! Be off—they’ll see us in another moment, they will be in full pursuit.” The highwaymen looked towards the toll-gate while the man spoke, and then they caught sight of a dark- ijooking mass, evidently a troop of police officers. ‘We can save ourselves easily,” said Jack; “but how about yourself—how shall you fare ?” “Don’t trouble yourself about me,” was th «noswes strove to make out who was approaching. Ere long they discovered that the cart was occupied only by one man, though he had as much superabundant flesh as to be big enough fortwo, and wasin himssli quite a big load for a horse. “That’s a farmer, or grazier, or something of that kind,” said Claude. ‘“ And if he is on his way to market —and there’s no doubt that he is—we shall have a profit- able adventure. Keep quiet, and, if we both ride out suddenly, we shall, ten to one, frighten him out of his wits.” “If we frighten him out of his money,” rejoined his companion, “that will be much more satisfactory.” The highwaymen were silent, for the cart was now very close at hand. So soon asthe horse’s head was opposite to them, the highwaymen both pounced out. Claude Duval seized the horse by the bridle, and forcibly brought him to a standstill, while Sixteen-String Jack presented a pistol at the farmer’s head. “Now, then,” he sried, *‘ your money—give it quickly, or I will find whether you are in the habit of carrying your brains in your skull or not !” This was a threat that horrified the occupant of the cart in no slight degree. ; The reins and whip dropped from his nerveless fingers. “Spare me!” he ejaculated—“ spare me! Pray, gentle- men, do not take my life!” Beyond doubt he would have gone down on his xn7es in an attitude of supplication, only the shape of the vehicle was such as to make this an impossibility “ You are all right,” seid Jack—“ no harm will ha;-,on to you if you give up your money-bags quietly.” With a deep groan the farmer unbuttoned his huge overcoat and thrust his hand into an inner pocket. It lingered there for a moment or so hesitatingly. Gack bad his eye keanly fixed upon him. ’ as cc nn LSS ER Ne . Eomichbooks.co