Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 288: what you’re looking at

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

1660 Tom was silent. He was interested in what the traveller was stating; but he kept a sharp eye upon him, and waited to hear more. “My master,” continued the commercial traveller, “is a Jew, and as I don't happen to be of bis religion he will have no mercy upon me. I amaruined man; and when I make known my loss, what will become of my poor wife and children I know not. And yet, in what way am J} to blame, except that the violence of the weather— which I ought to have disregarded—made me comply with the urgent solicitations of the landlord to remain all night at this place.” “T do not see that you are to blame,” replied Tom King, for the great distress which the traveller manifested touched him to the heart. But his words produced no consoling effect. “Go,” said the traveller—“ go! JI will do nothiig to hinder your departure—I will not say one syilable. 1 will take your word that you have had no hand in rob- bing me of what I have lost.” He sank down upton a seat while he spoke, and bowing down his head, covered his face with his hands. Tom King moved slowly towards the door; but when within a few paces of it he paused, and stood irresolute. The traveller appeared to be unconscious of every- thing. Tom King did not feel quite at his ease, and while he continued to gaze upon the sorrowing form he feit less and less so. The traveller had acquitted him of all share. in the robbery; but this was wrong, and Tom felt {t to be BO. Then a struggle began in his breast. Should he give up the two bags of money he had picked up? Surely that would be better than taking them away. Thinking so, Tom King turned round with the inten- tion of restoring them; but all at ence he thought how strange it would be for them to be founU in his possession, for the stranger had stated his disbelief that Tom had had any hand in the robbery, and our friend had not denied it. Quickly he thought of a means by which he could relieve himself of his embarrassment. Taking from his pocket the money he had obtained from the miser, he exclaimed : “ Look, sir—to show you there is such a thing some- times as good returned for evil, I give you this money. Take it, and never mind troubling yourself to utter Bene § you are heartily welcome. Notaword! iam off.’ The traveller took with trembling hands the wealth shat was so unexpectedly offered him. But he was not going to allow Tom to depari ss © sily. Springing up, he caught him by the handa, and in a bro en voice, poured out his thanks. So firm was his grasp that Tom felt himself unable to shake it off without doing so roughly. Atl ngth the traveller, completely overcome by what had tak n place, burst into tears. eta took this opportunity te break away from im. But ere he left the room he exciaimed : “T hav good reason to think the robber was disturbed, pnd that i ) his hasty flight he dropped some portion of his booty, which he did not dare stop to pick up. He broke thro ugh the gap in the hedge yonder, so you will have no @ifficulty in getting upon his track.” With these last words, Tom King passed hastily through t.1e doorway Just out side he ercountered the landlord and the other inmates ¢f the inn, who doubtless had been eager listeners to what few chante words hapnened te fall upon thei: ears. They re yarded Tom King distrustfully. But the highwayman took not the least notice of this, apparently but said, with admirable coolness : “The st rm is well over now, I think. Good nig’, gentlemen. I think if you go in yonder room yeu will find that I have succeeded in satisfying the gentleman that he was laboring under a most extraordinary delusion. There wt,s a general move in the direction of the room the traveller occupied. (Ore Sat 7... @. 27 TRF ard —— AW . Mw Fy rs © 7h KA s Bahia eh SS ORLA Oo VATS ie i» oe ] bight Ol i A tee ee? ar a « “4 neyif : BLAOB, BESS; OR, tr NS a , f BAe as cae WoL My : iv ee » n" ‘ “4 - Tom took advantage of it. Passing out quickly, he sprang into the saddle, and rode rapidly away. The storm was indeed summer rain was falling. This Tom paid no attention to—in fact, he found the cool sprinkling drop .rather agreeable than other- wise. He was not in the mood for any further adventures that night, so turned his horse’s head at once in the direction of the ruins. Fortunate it was that he did do so, for althuugh he made quite as much speed as he well could without dis- tressing his horse, daylight was very close at hand indeed when he arrived. He found Dick Turpin waiting for him at the usual spot amid the ruins, and qaickly learned that the captain had yielded to Maud’s persuasions, and had remained there all the night. Dick was very anxious about the letter. “ Did you get it?” he asked. | “T did not. But yet I was made acquainted with the contents ; but tne circumstances were so very strange that I will relate them to you at full length.” “Satisfy me first,” said Dick, ‘whet time they start.” *‘ At nine o’clock.” “In the morning ?” “ T suppose so.” ‘¢ And the day ?” “The twenty-first.” “Two days hence,” said Turpin, musingly. ‘“ That will give us time to mature all our plans and make every alata” There is only one thing that I am afraid of.” ‘¢ What is that, captain ?” ‘* Why, starting at so early an hour in the morning, | am afraid they will reach their destination by daylight, in which case the difficulties of our task would be increased tenfold.” “Yet they must be overcome.” | ‘‘Yes, as you say, they must be overcome; and, be- tween now and the time mentioned, we shall have ample opportunities for consideration.” ‘‘We shall. But where are Claude and Jack 2?” “ Not returned.” “ Not returned ?” ‘‘ No—I have seen nothing of them since they left last night—or, rather, the night. before last, for it is fairly morning now.” “Ttis. I sadly fear “ That something serious tas happened to them ?” “T do indeed.” “ That, also, is my fear. between now and daylight. return.” Tom did not say a word in reply, for his mind was full of uneasiness on account of his absent comrades. He shifted his position to a place where he was able to obtain a more extensive view of the way by which tbey would be likely to approach, and looked out anxiously. But he was unable to see anything of them. Dick placed himself by his old companion’s side, and immediately afterwards they were joined by Maud. She needed only to give one glance at their counte- nances to see that their minds were greatly troubled. “« What is it?” she asked—“ oh, what is it ?” Her tones were filled with alarm. “ Nothing—nothing serious—that is, at present.” “ But tell me!” “Tt is a dread.” ‘Caused by the long-er»tinued absence of Utaude ana Jack ?” ‘Yes, Maud, that is ft When they did not returp yesterday morning I thought but little of it, believing that they had got too far away to be able te return with- out the risk of being seen. But if that supposition had been correct, they would have been bere soon aifer mic n‘gh*.” “Yes that was the arrangement,” said Tom King. “Then,” exclaimed Maud, in much anxiety, “you jusits dread that some serious accident has befallen them ?” Dick was silent, but Tom King said: “ Certainly, our vneasinesa ought to abate when we think fairly over, but a soft and gentle ” Still, a little time must elapse Let us hope that they will Eomichoo (GE S