Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 263: what you’re looking at

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

@ hat we cannot help it. Wile 1 44s Po 4 a wr ‘pi ee CARAT, Bea ‘ f NI eg BE ee'58 a Gat ae T= . os > 4 4 - * . 1S iy <3 fs SoM \¢. cnt, Ys ie e & a a4 Fee « alt) . Vogts ft 4 ° P 4 You ought not to blame us for ‘But Ido blame you!” wes the nalf-angry response. ‘Had you chosen to do as I asked, you would have found me on your return.” “Ob, very likely; but we have been played that game too often to think about granting such a request.” The first speaker gave a deep sigh. “Ttisa hard case,” ks cried ~--“‘a very bard case, and Iam sure the world will-join with in thinking so. But when I first got into Jushua’s debt I might have guessed what would be the end.” “Then you ought to have known ketter, that’s all ! can say. But, come, we have reached the top of this hill, and our horses have winded themselves nicely, so forward once more, for we have ma”y miles to journey et.” : There was a stir among the horsemen immediately. Not a word of the preceding conversation had bees lost by the two highwaymen, who at first were rather at a loss to comprehend the rights of the affair. But just as the travellers set themselves in motion, Sixteen-String Jack bent sideways towards his comrade and whispered: “Put up your pistols, Claude. I have an idea! | can’t stay to explain it now; but take my opinion for it that it is good.” “T will do so readily ; but what else am I to do?” *T cannot stop to explain.” “ Then I will just back you cp in everything you say and do.” ‘‘ In that case all will be well.” There was not time for another syllable to be ex- changed. But Claude Duval had the most implicit faith in his companion’s strategic powers, and so was prepared to follow him blindly. Nevertheless, Sixteen-String Jack’s first movemen’ filled him with surprise. Riding slowly out from his place of concealment, he accosted the three travellers, who naturally enougt shrunk back, half in distrust, halfin alarm. But the first words uttered by Jack served te dispel whatever alarm they might have felt. ‘ ‘‘ Gentlemen,” he said, in an apologetic voice, ‘ excuse us for troubling you, but we happen to be journeying your way, and we should be glad to travel with you for protection’s sake, as we have a large amount of money about us.” ‘We purpose riding as far as Oxford,” was the reply given by the man with the gruff voice. ‘ But perhaps you are not going so far ?” “« No—we have not much further to ride.” “Phen you are welcome to join us.” Sixteen-String Jack then very suitably expressed nfs thanks, in which he was very well followed up Claude, who wondered what on earth his comrade’s de- signs were, They rode on after that for some few momenis wii hout speaking. Sixteen-String Jack broke the silence, as though it was irksome to him. “T hope you will excuse me for mentioning such a thing,” he said, deferentially, “but you must understand that when my friend and myself heard some one on the road before us, we trmaght the most prudent thing we could do would be to conceal ourselves, hoping by that means, if robbers were abroad seeking for prey, we Jd escape their notice.” “A very wise precaution,” said the oue who rode nearest to Claude. “On the other hand,” continued Jack, “we made up our minds that should we find respectable travellers were approaching we would ask them, as a favor, te allow us to ride along in company.” “ Just so,” said the gruff voice, possibly merels pecause Jack paused, and he therefore lt it incumbent upon him to say something. “Tt was then,” added Sixteen-String Jack, in a louder voice, “that I happeued to hear @ conversation between you—of a very private character 1 make no doubt—buc still I heard it, and, I must confess, it not only interested me, but also stimulated my curiosity te such a degree that 1 am most anxious to hear more |” THE KNIGHT OF THB ROAD. << RS SAS RE ba a es AP oP aa * * ae -— ate ids Pihey S Pht os wt i * Ps a4 ¢ * © 1635 ‘Then, if that is your desire, it shall be soon gratified,” exciained the gentleman with the sad voice, joining in the conversation for the first time. ‘ The tale is not a long one, and when you have heard tt, itis very strange to me if you do not confess that a case of greater and ore unmerited hardship was never laid before you.” “Pray proceed,” answered Jack. coming a little closer ‘ T am all attention.” “Then,” was the reply, “I may just briefly say that I owed a certain person the sum of czo hundred pougds. I speak in the past tense, and when you have heard a little more you will say that I do so advisedly.” “Perhaps,” interposed the gruff voice. “ But, anyhow, you shall have your say first, and then I will have mine afterwards.” . ‘You are quite welcome; but I must first declare that which you cannot deny. When the time came round at which the hundred pounds was due, I was unable to find the money ; but I said that if only a short extra time was allowed me it should be forthcoming. “This way promised, and I set to work most diligently, being determined to make any sacrifice rather than suffer myself te be hauled off to the debtors’ jail at Oxford, for this is the fate my stern creditors threatened me with. But I am going too much into detail. 1 will now lose no time in coming to the point. ‘The allotted time expired, and this was at sunset this evening, and my mind was at ease and content, for, by dint of selling off a great deal of my stock at a much re- duced price, I managed to collect together the sum of one hundred and two pounds; so, naturally, I felt myself secure. Judge of my surprise when, just about dusk, these two gentlemen—Heaven forgive me ior calling them such!—entered my house, and declared they were bailiffs, and that if the money was not paid down to them at once they should remove me to the prison. “T said at once that there was no need for such threats or boisterous behavior, adding that i had the money ready. While I spoke I took out my money bag and pliced 4 dn the table. “+One Qundred and twelve pounds we want!’ said the gveutlieman on my right. “One hundred and twelve?’ I repeated. ‘ That is 3:1: mistake. My debt is no more than one level hundred.’ ‘‘¢T know that,’ was the reply; ‘but thetwelve pounds is for expenses already incurred.’ ‘“« Expenses? Good Heaven! there was no occasion for anything of the kind! I had been granted a certain prolongation of time, and at its expiry the money was ready. And then to think the expenses should swell up to something like one-eighth part of the whole debt !’ “ As you inay perhaps understand, sir, I succeeded in making no impression whatever upon these men. The expenses had been incurred, they said, and must be aid. are Finding this to be the case, I said: ‘“¢ Well, gentlemen, it will be quite foolish on my part to disguise the truth, and so I confess that all the cash I have in this world is contained in this bag, and the amount is one hundred and two pounds, which I hand over to you.’ 4] receive that amount on account,’ said the bailiff. ‘As for the balance, you must go along with us until you are able to find it.’ «at “¢ What ??I ejaculated, almost bursting with indigua- tion, for my passion had been gradually rising. ‘Would you carry a man off to the county jail for such a paliry amount as ten pounds ?’ | «That's our orders,’ was the only reply I could get. ‘Make your chvice—pay the ten pounds, or come along with us.’ ‘To pay the ten pounds was utterly out of the ques- tion, and there was no one to whem I could apply for the loan of the amount. “In a word, sir, to make a long story short, thesé men, having received from me the hundred and two pounds, are now dragging me off te jail for the remaining ten pounds, No words have the least effect upon them—they are deaf to every entreaty. I have nu doubt but what they will carry out their cruel intention to the very letter, and if so lama ruined man for ever—nothing but the workhouse stares my wife and childrep i= the face.” EOMmiGchdoo ( | @ <S7iGO