Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

~. ., “a ss Ped mh he S57 4 se bs iP ot ’ 1643 to instinct of life was strong within her, and she made efforts of which, under any other circumstances, she would have been totally incapable. But as well might a fly have endeavored to cope suc- cessfully with a giant. Half dragging, half pushing her along the ground, he forced her te the dark; tomb-like doorway. The nearer she came to it, the more fearful became her strugcles. “Now, wretch,” he cried, in a voice which well dis- played the malevolence that was pent up in his soul— ‘now, wretch, begone! Yon shall trouble and haunt me no more !” As he pronounced these words, he suddenly released hi 8 : Thon, without the delay of a single moment, he pushed her violently forward. The child staggered—endeavored to stop herself—to gain a footing. Allin vain. With a shrill, ringing shriek, that echoed ard re- echoed through the ruins, she fell headforemost across the threshold. But the shriek was abruptly cut short by the violent closing of the door. The key was turned in the lock. “Tt is done,” said the stranger, in aloud, exviiszs voice —‘it is done, and thus, by one bold stroke, I free myself from all those disagreeable complications in which I was involved. Free—free—I am now free! I am a new man! With this child’s wealth I shall succeed in all my plans! I—I tremble now; but the time will shortly eome when I shall look back upon this as being the best night’s work that ever was performed!” OHAPTER CMXOL. TOM KING RESCUES THE LITTLE GIRL FROM HER LIVING TOMB. Ir was perfectly certain that the stranger fully and en- tirely believed that he was all alone in the old ruins—that no human eyes had witnessed the awful crime which he had just perpetrated, for he had taken the greatest pains to make sure that no one had followed in his track. That some one might have taken up-a station in the ruins before his arrival was a thought that never entered his imagination. Therefore it was that he ventured to give vent to his thoughts aloud. At this moment there arose a faint, low cry, seeming to come from a long distance off. “ Uncle—uncle!” “ Yes, my dear!” Tho reply had a refinement of cruelty in its tone. “ Uncle—uncle !” “T hear you.” ‘‘Let me out—oh, do let me out of this dreadful place !” “You must wait, my dear, and look about for the treasure, and by the time you have foand it I shall be back to let you out.” With these words on his lips the stranger turned away. He assumed for a moment a listening attitude, then with a satisfied air, rapidly retraced his steps towards the spot where he had left the carriage. Tom King touched the ostler on the shoulder. In a suppressed voice, which told plainly enough sow much he was agitated by what had just taken place, he said : “Jack, follow that man! Watch closely where he goes, and do not return until you have housed him.” The ostler merely gave a nod to show he filly com- prehended the nature of the service that was required of him, and at once glided off in the direction taken by the stranger. We have not interrupted the narration of the courvo of events to show how and to what extent the spectators of this scene were influenced by it. From what the reader already knows of the dispositions of Tom King and Maud it may be safely assumed that it was only by the exercise of the utmost self-contro) that they forebore from interruption. BLACK BESE: Pion a 5 ae ‘Copy ica? ~* a“ om Indecd, Tom King once did start forward, determmmed _ Re that the aet of iniquity should not be perpetrated ; but tne ostler, divining his intention, touched him on the shoulder, and whispered ‘Keep stil! a moment, captain! For Meaven’s sake do not let him know that weare here!” This consideration came just in time, and Tom King paused. But Maud «mse or twice felt as though she could not tamely remain there a passive looker-on, and several times a shriek rose to her lips; but on each ocvasion she stifled its utterance, being enabled to do so by recollecting that Dick’s safety depended upon her discretion. When, however, Tom was able to comprehend what kind of death the stranger intended to inflict upon the young girl, he grew more self-composed, though in- wardly he execrated the refined barbarity of the man who could thus, without the least remorse, doom so fair and beautiful a creature to a lingering death by starvation, and longed to be able to mete out to him such a retribution as he fuily deserved. But, fortunately, even under these trying circum- stances, Tom King retained sufficient presence of mind to remember and be aware that he should actually be of more real and permanent service to the little child by liberating her after her uncle’s departure than he could by any sudden or violent interference. No sooner, then, had the form of the ostler become lost to sight in the distance than he hurried towards the wet of what the stranger had meant to be a living tomb. Maud followed him with clasped hands, tearful eyes, and a wildly-beating heart. All the womanly affection in Maud’s nature was called forth on behalf of this young girl, for whom she already felt a most loving regard. — Both to her and to Tom King it was the greatest mys- tery how anyone could be of so barbarous and inhuman a nature to treat anything so loving and fairy-like with anything save tenderness and kindness. “Oh, Tom,” she said, ‘‘quick—quick! Do not lose a moment more than youcan help! Haste—hasts! Let the little darling free !” ‘Can you hear her ?” Maud listened intently. But all was still. : No faint cry came from the other side of the massive oor. ‘Qh, Heaven !” Maud shrieked, m alarm, “sheis dead —alas, alas, she is dead !” “‘No—no,” cried Tom. ‘But hush! You cannot be too cautious, and I am by no means certain that we are yet out of all danger of being overheard.” ‘ ae yes, I will be cautious. But speak to her—call er !” Tom obeyed. But the same silence continued . “Oh, Tom,” Maud moaned, “if she should prove to be dead I shall never forgive myself for not having inter- fered before. I shall always blame myself ®1 being swayed by purely selfish considerations.” ‘You have no cause as yet to reproach yourself,” said Tom King, who was busily at work upon the lock of the door. ‘*She cannot as yet be dead, but ner extreme terror may have caused her to fall into a swoon!” This supposition was so reasonable a one that Maud immediately became calm again. What was more likely to have happened? e “Should you mind leaving me a moment?” asked om. ‘¢ Why—what for ?” “'To fetch a light. You will get one down below; and when provided with that I shall doubtless be able to open the door; but now, in the darkness the lock bafiles me !” Maud did not wait to give any verbal answer to this request, but bounded off at once in the direction of the underground apartment, if we may venture to bestow upon it so ambitious a designation. Indeed, she scarcely waited to hear the conclusion oj} Tom’s speech. She was only too much delighted tc find herself in the position to be able to rendar thé little girl a better service than standing ly by auo oor ing on. So 7 << Eomichoo