Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 366: what you’re looking at

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

af i788 Ds et OD se I a aE gem Kiowever. fn order to assure himself upon this heal, he placed his ear close to the opening of the window, and lictened intently for several minutes. All was stil], and certainly, but for the fact that he had secn a light shining from one of the front windows, Tom would have come to the conclusion that the house was empty. Nevertheless, he had now every encouragement to pro- secute his enterprise. Replacing the clasp-knife in his pocket, he cautiously introduced his hand through the aperture he had made. There was only just room—indeed, he found no little difficulty in turning the little button by means of which the window was secured. At length, however, this important object was achieved. The casement swung slowly open. The way was now clear before Tom, if he thougit fit to enter. : Be bestowed another careful examination upon his weapons, listened intently once more, and then, with a nod of satisfaction, he stepped over the window-sill. Having done this much, his first act was to refasten the window again. He was plunged in the most profound darkness. What kind of room it was into which he had penetrated, and what kind of furniture it contained, he had not the least idea. To exhibit a light was something more than he dared do under such circumstances, for what would be more likely to bring about a discovery of him than that ? And yet he dreaded to advance even a single step, for fear that he should come into sudden and violent contact with some heavy object, and so cause such a noise as would infallibly reach the ears of the police officers. To remain standing still was, however, quite useless and ridiculous. Accordingly, Tom stooped down, and with his hands stretched out before him, groped his way along in this fashion , l'o his surprise he encountered nothing. It almost seemed as though that chamber was destitute even of a single article of furniture. Suddenly, however, in spite of all his precautions, some hard, cold object struck him a sharp blow on the forehead. A slight exclamation involuntarily escaped him. “ D—n it!” he muttered, ‘ what was that ?” He put up his hand to feel, and his grasp presently en- countered what he found to be, after alittle further ex- amination, the handle of a pump. There could now be no sort of doubt as to the nature of the chamber he was in, and its destitution of furniture was comprehensible. ; Still groping on, Tom’s hands at last encountered a oo7. ‘This he opened with a great deal of caution. No sooner had he done so than the faint murmur of voices came upon his ears. It was evident that either the speakers were a long way off, or else that a closed door intervened between them. All was still profoundly dark—indeed, Tom was not able ocularly to distinguish one single objuct. Adopting the same method of progressidn as before, however, he cautiously crept on, tak*ng the sound of the voices for his guide. He was now in a kind of passage, which was tolerably straight, and along which he was able to make his way with a certain amount of ease, fur he had only to keep close te the wal upon one side of it. Suddenly bs encountered a door, He paused at once, and carefully passed his Land over it until he found the fastening. Before he ventured to raise the latch, howaver, ho listened with an intensity that was almost painful He could still hear the murmur of voices engaged in conversation, but finally he came to the conclusion that the speakers were not just on the other side of this door. Cautiously, then, the door ws opened. He paused, and was half inc.ined to close it again, so very audible did the voices new become, A peep which he ventured to take enabled him to cora- prehend the cause of this. With renewed confidence he glided into the room with which this door communicated. - ‘be apartment in which he now fouzd bimsc!f was | BLACK BES; OF, not altogether dark, but was pervaded Sy 4rdoteumorns ee twilight. ; : This proceeded from a door that was Standing # little way open. The clearness with which he could bear two men talk- ing convinced Tom that the police ¢ficers Were in the adjoining roor.. ouble caution was now requisite On tiptoe Tom eressed the room, nor did he pause unth he reached this inner door. He made his way towards the hiuges of it, for owing to its position there was a chink here through which he hoped to be able to see his foes, and observe all their movemets as well as listen to their words. Scarcely had he taken up his station here, than he heard a Voice say: ‘Did you hear something then ?” “Of course I did. Didn’t you?” *“ Well, I might have heard a faint sort of a kind of a noise, but, as I said before, in a quict old place like this you are sure to hear hundreds on ’em.” * But I tell you I heard something then.” “What was it like 2” “Why, like a door opening and shutting.” “Well, old fellow, if you pay attention to every trifle you hear like that you will have enough to do. Why you will be running about and a-worrying of yourself all night, to say nothing of me.” “ But I am satisfied—I felt sure I heard somebody.” “Then you had better go and look.” “JT will; andif I don’t see anything this time, d—n me if I pay any attention to my ears again!” A dark lanteru—of that kind commonly carried by police officers—was on the table; but in order that they might obtain the benefit of a diffused light, the door was left standing open. Taking this in his hand, the officer who had last spoken rose from the chair on which he had been sitting and advanced towards the door. Tom King, hearing and seeing him, grasped his pistols tightly, eo as to be in readiness to use them at a second’s notice. — He was well aware that he was in most imminent danger of discovery. Indeed, to escape being seen sccmed next to an im- possibility. But Tom was prepared for the worst, and resolved not to yield himself a captive without a desperate struggle. ‘I'he police officer advanced about ‘a couple of paces into the outer room. He pushed the door open considerably wider. The effect of this was that, owing to the position our eet had taken up, he was more completely con- cealed. The officer held the light abcve his head and peered around him. Tom held his breath, fearful that this slight sound should betray him. 7 It now became a very nice question as to what extent the officer would carry his investigations. If he advanced far into the interior of the rcom he would scarcely fail to behold Tom King. - But his fellow-officer, who had been left inside i the dark, was beg‘nning to grow impatient. CHAPTER MXXIX, TH£ EVENTS WIICH OCCUR AT TIIE JOLLY TAR EN¥ 8k COME EXCITINGLY INTERESTING. ‘““ Now then, mate,” he cried,‘ what can you see ?” ‘* Nothing yet.” ‘Then come back, can’t you, what do you want te leave a fellow in the dark all this while forr” These words caused the other officer to turn back &t a moment when, if he had gone a couple of steps further, Tom must have been discovered. But such cnances are happening every day. “ D—d if I believe my ears again!” he growled ashe retraced his steps. “ I'll shut the door—I sha’n’t be bothered with hearing every slight sound then.” ‘l'om was in despair. If the door was closed, all hopes of listening to anf part of the officers’ conversation was at an end. But his good fortune again befriended him. (ECO MMU 7 JOOKS.cOm