Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 338: what you’re looking at

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

* than she became fully sensible of her extreme weak- ness, _ She tried to move, but all motion was denied her. ** Tost—lost!’? she cried, in a voice of such terrible anguish that it penetrated even to the heart of the miller’s wife—‘‘ lost, now—all—all is lost—lost—lost!”’ And with these words upon her lips, she threw up her arms above her kead, and sank down upon the floor again totally bereft of consciousness. CHAPTER MXVIII, DISCLOSES THE PERILOUS POSITiAON OF DICK TURPIN AND HIS COMRADES AT THE OLD CASTHE, To say that Dick Turpin and his comsades were astounded and amazed apon hearing the loud yells of the police officers and their triumphant cries as they clustered around the entrance to the subterraneous chamber would only be to convey a very faint impression ‘of the actual condition of their minds at this juncture. Dick Turpin stopped short as though by some magical process he had been inetantaneous:y transformed to stone. His comrades paused as well, and gazed blankly at gach other. In this manner they remained until the first ontburst of triumph on the part of the officers was over. “ Below, there !’’ cried Bishop, in a stentorian yoice— * below, there, I say !”’ This was probably intended as a summons for the highwaymen to reply; but if so, no notice was taken of it whatever. ** Surrender—surrender !”’ cried Bishop, ‘‘ and so save your lives! Dick Turpin, give in game and handsome, as a fellow like you ought to, Our number more than trebles yours, and you are down there like rats in a trap. Escape is out of the question quite, so make the best of a bad job by giving in quietly !”’ These words had the effect of dissolving the kind of spell which had hitherto pressed upon the minds of our friends, So perfectly secure did they consider themselves in _ their present quurters, that when they first heard the sound of voices and the trampling of feet above they could scarcely believe that their ears had served them aright, “Good heavens !” ejaculated Tom King. to be done P”’ *€ Alas!’’ said Dick, “I now feel myself incapable of all action and direction,” “ Nay—nay,captain! Look up! self to be cast down by this P”’ Dick groaned. “Tt is not of myself that I am thinking,” he re- sponded—‘‘ for my own part I care little, but it is Maud —Maud! What can have become of her ?”’ The uncertainty Dick Turpin was in about Maud’s fate, and the apprehensions he experienced concerning it, unmanned him quite. His companions witnessed it with genuine grief. ** Something must be done,” remarked Claude Duval, after a brief pause. ‘* Let us be quick and decide, or we shall have those feliows down upon us.’ * But what can be done ?”’ asked Tom King. ‘ They have the advantage of usin every way. I believe any attempt at resistance would be perfectly futile.’’ A gloomy silence followed tha expression of this opinion. It was so fully shared in by everyone present that not a single word could be said. As for Dick, he almost seemed as though every word uttered by his comrades was lost upon him, so absorbad was he by his grief for Maud. The officers, however, by no means seemed te relish the idea of descending the steps. They much preferred remaining where thoy were. A short time having elapsed, however, Bishop Dent over the abyss, and in as loud a voice as he possibly could, shouted out: “Dick Turpin and the rest of you, listen to what I say. I will give you three minutes to consider my pros “What is Do not suffer your- you to slip ehoueh our a on Re an . occasion a this we should country! Are you listening to what I say ?"’ The same profound silence was preserved by the highway nien- — A silence that made the officers begin to feel rather uncomfortable, Tom Duavis all this time had been too dumbfounded to open his lips. Indeed, the whole place being strange to him, he scarcely comprehended lis position, Yet it was sinvular that when he did speak he was the first to propound a really practical question, “{s there no other way of getting out of this plave excent that by which we have entered itf”’ Sixteen-String Jack started at this question. “A way might be made,’’ he answered, ‘if those fellows would only allow us the time to do it.” ‘Tom Davis shook his head, “Is it possible,” he asked, “‘ that you have remained here so long without taking care to have several exits P That ought to have been your first caree”’ SAL ought; but it’s too late to talk of that now.’’ Tom Davis was much grieved to observe the apathy which had settled upon the captain, No one, however, knew Turpin’s disposition better tnan he did, and on the present occasion he hastened to make use of his knowledge, ‘Touching his old companion on the arm, he said: * Dick, if you were by yourself, and had no one de- pending apon you whatever, this total abandonment to grief could be defended. As it is, we are here awaiting your judgment and commands, therefore the indulgence is ubjust.”’ Dick raised his head. His voice was trembling and almost inarticulate as he replied : *'lom, you can form no opinion of my feelings, be- cause you have.never known what it is to sustain such a fearful loss. However,I must admit that your reproof is Just, and therefore, shaking off as well as I can all my own private sorrows, I will do my best to obtain your safety.” ‘That is spoken like yourself, Now, then, tell us what todo. ‘The officers surround the opening above, so that there is no hope whatever of making our escape that way. As we ascended the ateps, we could be picked off one by one, like sparrows; and you may depend the officers would not hesitate to do it.” ‘*“No; that is certain.’ “T have just been blaming you all,” said Tom Davis, ‘“that you did not provide against such a contingency as this by making another outlet.” ‘It should have been done.” ** But it is not,’’ said Claude, “aud therefore to talk about it now is only to waste precious time.”’ * Right,” said Sixteen-String Jack; “but if you will zo to the foot of the flight of steps, I will show youa passage which I have partially explored.”’ ‘* And whither does it lead ?’’ asked Dick, eagerly, **'That I cannot tell you.” ‘Do you know whether there is an outlet P”’ *T do not yet. I fancy one might be made.” “© Why P”’ * Poteaie I could feel fresh air.” ‘**Let us go there, then. *“Witk all my heart,’ said Jack; ‘‘for we cannot possibly 1raake our position worse by. moving from one part of this subterranean place to another,” No sooner were these words spoken than, with the greatest amount of caution possible, they made their way back to the foot of the steps. Careful as they were yet it would seem that their ap- proach had not been made without reaching the keen ears of the officers above. ‘Bs ready,” they heard Bishop say, in a suppressed voice—“ be ready, for I can hear them coming. Per- haos they intend to makea rush. If so, discharge all your pistols at once down the staircase. We cannot fail to have every one of them then.’ Bishop uttered this cold-blooded command in the calm- posul, and if at the end of that time we hear nothing | est aud most business-iike tone possible to conceive, from you we shall use our weapons, for this time wo are determined to have you, alive or dead! Dick could not avoid shuddering as be heard it, for he If wa suffered ' thought of what Maud’s fate was likely to be, if she had (E(©) we" be a laughing-stock for the whole” oF ae eB ” - ee — Agee