Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

® Re i it wee ho tarned round and entered the room where _ = had lett his companions ae _ Whe noise he made in entering aroused them. fs" They all looked up inquiringly. _ _ “Well,” said Dick, who was the first to speai, '‘ how now, Jack? Is all well?” >, Cs scarcely know how to answer you,” said Jack, in ___ & faint whisper, for the conviction irresistibly came over _ him that the woman was listening at the door. “ But _ the man has gone off somewhere— perhaps, for sught I Be uti ek “jack,” a ‘a ae —poo returned Turpin, “there is no fear of that. “aoe is he to know a Just tl wos that.” fr Jack was silent. _ “Ts your wound,” added Dick. “It has mzje you _ feel. nervous and unnecessarily alarmed. Sit down and calm yourself. We will make another levy apon the -_ provisions in this house, and then we will depart. By _ then darkness will have fairly set in.” Bixt-en-String Jack was not, however, in the lesst in- clined to sit down. He walked to the window and looked out. Suddenly he uttered an exclamation. “‘ Look—look !” he ejaculated. “This is just exactly what I feared and expected.” “ What—what ?” 7 ¢ pees y Se > Wig ct xSo8 TS Ls a oo ~ Me nay 9) ‘ °} ~—- y= : re ad ‘ - . artes A oo 5 ee (8 ie > wR — ‘ ae = . S “We are betrayed! Yonder is a troop of police Officers! Quick—quick! If we are speedy we may be able to mount and ride away.” This intelligence was so startling and unexpected, that for a second or so it had a paralyzing influence upon all present. Then simultaneously they rushed to the window, as though unable to credit the statement that had just been made by Jack. One glance, however, served to dissipate every doubt. _ A troop of police officers were just emerging from the trees. They did not stay to count them; but from the balk _ of the throng their numbers could not have been much, if any, under a dozen. They were every one well mounted, and by their manner it was evident that they were approaching __ stealthily in order that they might take the highwaymen all the more by surprise. There could be no doubt in the minds of the highway- | men as to the person by whom they had been betrayed, for ___ the man was walking in front of the officers, and pointing excitedly in the direction of the cottage. Dick's course of action was decided upon in a moment. “Oome, my friends,” he said; “I do believe it is possible for us to get round to the place where our horses stand without being seen by these fellows. If so, we _ ghall be off and away before they are aware of it, and shall in consequence obtain so good a start that by ___ nightfall there is every probability that we shall elude them altogether.” | -_ “Qome on, then!” cried Tom King. waste another moment.” _ _ As be spoke, Tom hastened to the door, and plane his hand upon the latch. In aninstant he discovered the door was fast. “ Oaged!” he shouted. The door is locked [” “ Stand aside, then!” saii Claude Duval. are did so, for he guessed what his comrade was about “oO ao. Gathering up all his energies, Claude Duva] rusued across the room, and bore with full force against the door with his shoulder. It turned out that he put forth abouts three times as much force as was necessary. He had not taken into consideration the flimsy con- struction of the door, and the consequence was that no sooner did his shoulder strike against it then it flew open with great suddenness. Claude could not stop himself, and, inaeed, before bs well knew what had happened, he was half-way across $he outer apartment. : In his headlong course hs came in contact with the woman, who had not time-enough to get out of the way. Down she went, as if struck by @ cannon bail, and _ down went Claude as well, after making severni futile _ siioria to retain his footing “Do not let us e "2 >. ‘ = is ~ « a ~ ~ ag 9 sim ~ e % é = . ¥ - a ag) - —- SF. y o> - » + a awe > Ce ee wy d ~ ~*" a LLL Se te ts sien ee Desyite the peril of their position, our friends coulé ee a hearty burst of laughter at thie inei- er It was clear, however, that the noise of the scuffle had reached the ears of the police officers, for they could now os on coming across the open space very rapidly ine eed, “Quick!” said Dick Turpin, as he cbserved this cir- cumstance—“ quick, or we shall, after all, be too late Through yonder window—that wil! be the best and nearest way. The officers may zat see us at all until after we are moanted. Quick—quick !” _ Dick Turpin set his companions the example as well as issued his directions Flinging open a small window, he sprang through it with remarkable dexterity, and found himself close to Black Bess. “Now, Tom Davis,” he exclaimed, “come on! I fancy you had better share my saddle,” _In less time than anyone would have deemed pos- sible, the highwaymen were all fairly seated in their saddles, though a slight delay had taken place owing to ‘Sixteen-String Jack haying but one arm at liberty. _The police officers, however, must have guessed the highwaymen’s design, for they came galloping up at full speed, and, despite all the expedition our friends had used, they found themselves threatened with a hand- to-hand encounter, This was by no means what they desired, and no sooner had Dick seen that Jack was safely seated in the saddle than he gave the word for an immediate rush, This was obeyed, though the officers set up a loud shout, in which the word ‘‘Surrender!” could be de- tected. Not the least notice was taken of it by the highway- men, however, who bent all their energies to get clear. from the present embarrassing situation, Finding no regard paid to them, the officers discharged a volley from their pistols, and set off in immediate pur- suit. The first act was a very thoughtless and inconsiderate one, but it was performed upon the impulse of the mo- ment. When the pistols were discharged the fugitives were well out of range. Consequently no harm was done. It was fortunate that the trees grew so close at hand, for Dick was thus enabled to get himself and his comrades out of sight of their pursuers almost immediately. Still, he was careful not to penetrate too deeply into the recesses of the trees, lest they should suddenly en- counter some obstacle to their progress. The police officers, however, were by far too resolute and we close behind them to be shaken off very easily or rapidly. Dick Turpin nevertheless experienced but a alight amount of uneasiness. Every moment the shades of evening grew darker and darker, for by this time the sun had dipped below the horizon. In a short time, however, the confines of the wood were reached, and a vast extent of open country lay spread out before them. Dick paused a moment, in order to allow ‘Tom Davis to change to Tom King’s horse. The officers could not be very far in the rear, but at present the trees hid them from sight, while the soft turf which was growing everywhere prevented the hoof- beats of their horses from being heard. ‘‘T think the best plan now will be to push on with all the speed our horses are capable of making,” said Dick — Turpin. ‘And, if we are careful to make a considerable detour, I believe we shall be able to reach the ruins un- perezived, while the period of our arrival need not b= later than midnight.” ¥ Aa you like, «aptain—yon onali decide.” “ Worward, then [” cried Dick, without another second’s hesitation. It was perfectly certain, though, that, let them use what speed they might, it would be impossible to get so far away as to be out of sight of the officers, who they expected each moment to see make their appearance among the trees. The speed ot which our friends started ci howeyai - f : > . 7 “ : - * o .* 7 > : . , \ . J ~ xe avert Vs Uo ae A. Ce Mag hah : —— - ~~ ee 2 ah | ~ ot Te = — ac ot ae Sy Re ~ ' aa eae Ae a 8) ee A Nhs : iP): x ayy \ at it “ EGoOmicboo