Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

° * b < ¢ ae ad P CS ee mm Yee ‘ re | 7 é * < o* . - < « *“, ~*~ * . We . 4 i al 7 — eh "¢ ; 4 du PLE, o* . 7 ‘ et Zi . 7 A ae Tom was «0 listless and apathetio that he never asked his comrades to what place they intended to go. , After this a long pause ensued. Claude and Jack were busy thinking about their comrade, who, still sitting by the fire, seemed to have fallen into a state of stupor. They were silent, coo, because they were fistenmg. The wind made odd, confusing noises as it swept over the heath, and they were anxious to become aware at the earliest moment of the approach either of Dick or the police officers. But the hour of midnight was slowly given -orth by the church at Hampstead without anything whatever oc- curring to disturb them in the slightest degree. Their anxiety now reached it highest point. ven Tom King roused himself and rose slowly to his feet. “Surely,” he said, ‘that was the old clock at Hamp- stead striking twelve ?” “Tt was.” z. “ And no signs of tne captain ?” ‘‘ None at present.” Silence again succeeded these few brief sentences; but, although they listened long and intently, they a to catch the sound they so much wished to ear. Tom King’s condition continued to increase the uneasi- ness his companions felt. It was soon evident that he was incapable of standing for any length of time without support, and, with a weary sigh, he sank down again into his former posi- tion. Here he remained, motionless and silent, until all at once he raised his head and exclaimed: “ They are coming now—they are coming now!, I can hear them quite distinctly. Put out the fire—put it out, er they will be upon us at once!” Olaude and Sixteen-String Jack started when they first heard his words. , Then instantly assumed listening attitudes. But their well-practised ears failed to catch any sound at all resembling that which would be made by the ap- proach of horsemen. “You have been dreaming,” they said, at last. ‘your fancy.” : ‘*No,” said Tom, in greater excitement than before. “T tell you that I can hear them now plainer than ever. Listen—listen, and you will hear them too!” “Tt igs CHAPTER CMLXXI. SOME SINGULAR EVENTS TAKE PLACE BY NIGHT IN THE LITTLE RURAL CHURCH, “HusH, Maud—hush !” said Dick Turpin, {n a suppressed voice. ‘‘Keep your calmness, and I will answer for the » “But where shall you go?” she asked, in a trembling voice—'' where can you seek shelter now ?” “‘T shall not move,” replied Dick, “until I learn that the officers—if such they are—really intend to enter this churchyard. It may be that they have only just halted there by accident, and that they intend te go riding on.” “ Now, Dick,” was the answer, “you must not cheat yourself into that belief. They are opening the gate now.’ Maud was periectly correct. : The rattling sound made by the hasty introduction of a Key into the lock of the churchyard gate was distinctly heard in the silence that prevailed around, and then after- wards there was a8 grating, creaking noise as (Le gate was slowly pushed open. : : Dick took Black Bess by the bridle with “one mand, while he passed his other arm round Maud’s waist. “We will att the porch,” he said, “and yet not go far away—at all events, until we kpow something more than we know now.” . Maud made not the slightest hesitation or demar. In less than a moment the church porch was vacated. ‘Dick took up his position close to the side of it, stand- Ing in the angle formed by it and the church wall—a spot where the darkness was much greater than anywhere Rapid as his movements had been, however, scarcely 4 THR KNIGHT OF THE ROAD 1608 Le at ae SES Te ec a een had he taken up this position than footsteps could be distinctly heard upon the hard gravel-path. Dick leaned forward and strained his eyes anxiously, in order to make out the nature of these new-comers. At first he saw nothing save a black moving mas which on @ nearer approach resolved itss!f ints a@ am throng of persons, The obscurity was toc great, nevertneless, for Dick te say positively that they were not police officers. Evidently the porch was their destination, for they walked straight towards it, and just as they passed within it, Dick caught sight, as he believed, of a female, but she was so surrounded by men shrouded in lone ¢cloaks that he could not make sure. ‘Open the door,” said a deep voice, in commanding tones—‘ open the door, and be quick abovt it! We have no time to waste!” “T am opening it, worshipful sir,” was the answer. “One moment! The lock is rather stiff, and my strength begins to fail me.” The person who had first spoken uttered an impatient exclamation, but even as it passed his tips the door lead- ing into the church was opened, and the whole throng hastily entered. Dick gave a long sigh of relief. ‘You see, Maud, I was quite right in my suspicions— these people have nothing at all to do with us.” “Yes, so I find,” said Maud. “And now that they have all entered, let us make the best speed we can to Hampstead.” “With all my heart,” returned Turpin. “And yet before we move I should like to take one peep at the in- terior of thechurch. I am strongly filled with curiosity at what I have seen. I long to see more.” “No, no—do not seek fresh danger, Dick—make your escape while you have the opportunity.” “Tush—tush! There is no danger—none at all. Keep still. I will just take a peep through yonder window—that will satisfy me abundantly.” He pointed to a small window close by—a window which they had not previously noticed, but now it could be distinctly seen, in consequence of the light that beamed from it. The sill of this window was at a tolerable height from the ground, but Dick managed to peep through the lat- ticed casement by standing on the broad flat stone of a tomb that adjoined the wall of the church. A singular scene now presented itself to his gaze—a scene which he had not at all expected to behold. He beckoned Maud to approach and take her place by his side. She was not proof against the curiosity which would be felt by anyone in censequence of such a strange visit to a church at so late an hour, and therefore, despite the agitation and terror that she felt, Maud stood upon the tombstone, and peeped into the interior. She saw that the church was tolerably well illuminated by a number of wax candles standing near the altar, and which, though only just lighted, gave forth considerable light. onary moment this light increased. Then it was seen that the party which had entered the church was composed of several persons, all dressed in se rich and elegant a manner as proved them to belong to the upper class of society. They had cast aside the long cloaks im which they had been enveloped when walking up the gravel-path. Among them, too, was a girl, fair, young, and beautiful. Her dress was of white satin, and a white veil was thrown over her head, so that, in the semi-obscurity pre- vailing in the church, she formed quite a conspicuous object. But her cOuntenance, upon whicn siw rays of the candles fell, #as clearly seen by the two watchers, and it was with no alizht amount of surprise that they noticed the fair features were convulsed with anguish, and that tears were rolling rapidly G.wn her cheeks. Her hands were clasped tightly together, and she was standing in an attitude of imploring entreaty before a man who, with folded arms, looked coldly on her, evi- den‘ly disregarding ker distress. By the movement of this girl’s lips, they could tell that she was speaking, though her voice was well-nigb choked with sobs, (E(0) 0)(0)0) > a SS (E(0)