Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

1648 With these words the highwayman, escorted by the small troop of soldiers, quickly trotted out of the palace yard. When once in the open street he felt that he was quite safe. = But he made"up his mind to get out of the vicivit>: of the palace with all speed. Accordingly he loosened the reins npon the back of Black Bess, and the next moment he was galloping up St. James’s Street at a pace that raised a prodigious clatter Sy ‘“ Home now,” Dick muttered, as, having reached Pic- cadilly, he turned his mare’s head westward—“ home now. I ought to be well satisfied with all that I have aceou- - plished to-night.” This was certainly right; but before he had gone very far Dick found that he was troubled with a most torment- ing thirst. “T should not have raised an objection if the prince had offered me a glass of wine,” he murmured, with a smile. ‘However, at the next inn I come to I will pull ap for a moment and have a good draught of ale.” Being in England, Dick had not to travel far without Gnding what he sought. In fact, in rather less than five minutes afterwards he caught sight of one of those pretty roadside inns which were more plentiful along the lines of the different high- ways then than they are now. The place looked quiet enough in all conscience, and Dick at any rate ran whatever risk there was in stopping. He pulled up in front of the long horse trough, from which he allowed Black Bess to drink, but only spar- ingly. uy illoa!” he shouted. ‘t‘ House—house! Landlord— ostler !” These outcries brought to the front door of the inna young and rather good-looking cirl, and to the yard gate a thin, wiry little man, evidently the ostler. “A tankard of your very best old October ale, my dear! said Turpin, to the girl. ‘Make haste, for I am very thirsty, and if the ale isas good as you are beautifal, it will be very welcome, I assure you !” The girl was by no means insensible toa compliment, so she smiled quite pleasantly upon the highwayrnan, and ran back into the house. “ A little hay,” added Dick, to the ostler—‘‘ just a hand- ful, that’s all.” At this moment the blind hanging over one of the windows was drawn aside, and a man peered out. One of the upper panes of this window was broken, and through this the sound of voices came with tolerable distinctness. “ All right,” said some one—‘I can see her. She is quiet enough; but I would not sell her for a thou- sand !” Dick looked about him, wondering to what these words could apply. His state of doubt did not continue long, for he caught sight of a very handsome bright bay horse, that was secured by the rein toa ring that was fixed in the wall near the window from which the man had looked out. “It’s a beauty,” he muttered, admiringly—“a real beauty! She could almost rival my own bonny Black Bess.” The horse upon which Dick gazed was in good truth a splendid creature, and it is very probable his admiration would have gone still further, but just at this moment the young girl appeared, carrying tle tankard. Dick took it from her with a glanee and manner that brought the color to her cheeks, The ale was of good quality, and Dick was very thirsty, both of which occurrences combined caused the liquid to disappear with great rapidity. When he paused to take breath, the ostler came with the hay. A few unimportant words were exchanged, and thea, when just about to ride off, Dick slipped a crown -piece into the palm of the ostler, and gave the girl another, bidding her get change and give it him the next time he ealled. Ata gentle trot, Dick now set forward, tor he believed that he was at present quite out of danger, and as there BLACK BESS; OR, was no occasion to hurry himself, he thoegkt he might as well ride to the castle quietly as not. But just at the moment when he took his departure from the inn, a gentleman came out of the front door, ‘Now, ostler,” he cried,‘‘ bring my nag this way |” © Are you off now, sir ?” “ Yes; be quick.” “ All right, sir.” 3 The gentleman glanced along the road, and caught sight of Dick mounted on Black Bess. They had indeed only gota few yards away. ‘By Jove!” he ejaculated, in a voice of enthusiasm, ‘what a splendid creature! What a magnificent trot, to be sure !” As he pronounced the words several other persons sallied forth from the inn. They were idlers, every one of them, and only came in order to witness the traveller ride off, for he had been vaporing for at least an hour about the qualities of his steed—so much so that the curiosity of all was strongly excited. Upon hearing the remark made by the traveller, the ostler said: ‘““ Mayhap, sir, you don’t know who that is ?” “T certainly do not. Do you ?” “Yes, very well,” returned the ostler, with a peculiar smile. : “Well, who is he? I should like to Know him on account of his horse. I would ride any distance to seea bit of choice horseflesh.” The gentleman was evidently an enthusiast in the matter of horses. ““T’l] tell you if you like,” said the ostler. ‘‘ Well, who is he ?” ‘‘ You have heard of Dick Turpin?” “ OF course I have.” “Well, that’s him.” The ostler pointed down the road as he uttered these emphatic words. ‘‘ Tmpossible !” r ‘Tt is not impossible at all, sir! I know him!” “Then, you rascal, why didn’t you raise an immediate ontery, and try to capture him ?” What for Pe” “ What for? Because he is a highwayman!” +‘ He never robbed me of nothin’.” “That may be.” “Nor I never saw him rob nobody else.” ‘‘That’s not to the point. If you knew it was Dick Turpin, your duty was to raise the alarm immediately.” ‘Qh, was it? Very well, I shall know what to do when I see him again.” Evidently the ostler was not inclined to regard Dick in an unfriendly light. The gentleman gazed after the retreating forms of the highwayman and his steed—both of them now nearly out of sight—with feelings very different to those he had lately looked at them with. ‘Why not pursue him now?” said the gentleman, turning to the throng of idlers near the inn door, ‘“ We might keep on his track tul we met with assist- ance.” The ostler laughed. AP EK. c “ What are you grinning at, you great idiot?” said the gentleman, angrily. “Why, at you, for thinking of such a thing. Why, you might as well gallop overa marsh after a will-o’-the- wisp as after Black Bess when Dick Turpin was on her back—you would have about as good a chance of captur- ing one as the other.” ‘You are evidently in collusion with this r@bber,” said the gentleman, hotly, ‘“‘so I should advise you to be very careful what you say and do.” ‘Collusion ?” repeated the ostler slowly, and scratch. ing oS head while he spoke. ‘And what may that mean ?” ‘Oh, confound you, don’t bother this Dick Turpin myself.” ‘Then you're mad, sir,” ward. ‘Are you a confederate too?” asked the gentleman, with a sneer. “No, I am _ wot; but every man must be mad who would heedlssly ride to his death.” Vll ride off after said the landlord, coming for- ~ (eo) JOO (E ss)