Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 369: what you’re looking at

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

Soon eee WLR Ot nae ace oan y hoon Ste Bs ; THE KNIGHT OF HE ROAD. “ie 1741 Tom gave up all hope of making an escape—at least, just for the present. He looked about foz afresh place of concealment. 7 This was no easy matter, for the room would have ap- peared to be quite dark to anyone who had not been in it so long as Tom had. - Adim kind of twilight came from a small unshuttered wi::dow, through which the dull night sky could be dis- cerned. Tom comy only see one place that offered him the slightest chance of security, and that wes behind a kind of screen or seat, furnished with a high wooden back, a kind frequently to be seen at country inns to this ay. This was a very slight kind of hiding-place indeed— one that would not hold out against a moment’s search. But, then, it was what would suit Tom very well. He had resolved that the moment he found his hiding- place was so much as guessed at he would sally forth and do battle with his foes as best he might. Having come to this determination, then, he carefully made his way towards the screen, which happened to be only a few paces from him. oe than a moment served to enable him to get behind i When standing up, he was able to see well over the back, and so command a view all around him. This was the position which he first of all took up. af the first approach of his foes he would be able to sink down silently ; and so, with his head inclined for- ward, he stretched his hearing to the uttermost, in order to make out as much as possible of what was gvuing on. . All these movements of Tom’s were made very rarml'7 indeed, though the reverse might be suspected fram the fongth of time which it has taken us to describe them. Indeed, when he assumed the listening attitude just mentioned, the officers had done no more than reach the front door. There was no longer any room for doubt about the cause and origin of the knocking. _Some one was outside most impatient for admis- sion. “Who's there?” bawled Moggs, speaking very loud, “ order to conceal, if possible, the trepidation he was “Let usin!” roared a voice, in authoritative toncs. ‘Where the devil have you been all this time? A nice lot you must be to keep guard in a house, and not hear such a knocking as this!” . “Qh, stockings !” cried Moggs. ¢ From this remarkable ejaculation, and from the fact that Moggs and Joel suddenly became as silent as the grave, ‘om inferred that the voice which had just _ _ spoken was well known to them. a “Open the door, you dolts!” said the authoritative voice again—“open the door, Isay! What the devil do __- you mean by keeping us here like this ?” 4 “Ts that you, Mr. Clarke?” said Moggs, bat very humbly indeed. “ Yes, it is—of course you know itis! sat. once, and be d—d to you!” . The sound caused by the removal of bolts and barg now -—s- came quite clearly to Tom’s ears. ee Finally, a chain was flung down with considerable violence, and the door was opened. Tom endeavoured to make out by the sounds how many people entered, but there was such a sudden rush of footsteps that he found this to be impossible. “As we are here at last,” said Mr. Clarke, “ perhaps you will give us some account of your conduct |” ;“ Conduct?” asked Moggs and Joel both together. “Yes. Didn’t you hear me knock ?” “Yes,” was the dogged answer. ’ «Then, why did you take no notice of it ?” “We did not )zow who it was,” Moggs managed to __ tammer forth. “Qh, didn’t you? Well, it seems te me that the noise _ threw you into a devil of a fright, Why, you sre as _ white as ghosts now! Yes, you must have been we ‘ightened to death, and afraid .o move!” Open the door x . = oa ee att pe at TD Age. mee ~ ¥ om e ~ There was a general lauch. The approach of footsteps now warned Tom that it was time for him to sink down into his eonceal- ment. He did so only just m time, for it was at this precise moment that the whole party entered the apart- ment. ; Tom had the audacit, to come quite te the end of the screen and peep round it, He did so very carefully. At the first glance he perceived that the number of the police officers had been increased to five, There were Moggs and Svel, the one who nad been called Mr. Clarke, and two others, who brought up tho rear. Without troubling themselves much to look about them, they passed through the doorway into the adjoin- ing room. “ T’ll be d—d,” said Mr. Clarke, whose voice was so peculiar that Tom could easily recognise it—‘ I'll be d—d if this don’t look like being comfortable! You won’t care about being disturbed, [J] warrant.” Sha’n’t we!” said Moggs. “I only wish as how I was pver going to see the blessed place again !” “Why, what’s the matter ?” “ There’s nothing to drink,” was the reply—‘ at least, nothing without going down into the cellar to fetch it.” “ And is that too much trouble ?” “Trouble? It ain’t a question of trouble. like to see the man that could do it.” “Why, not go down?” * Not at night.” “ Why not?” ‘‘ Because of the well.” What weli 2” ‘The one with the dead bodies in ft.” * Bah!” Mogegs was silent. “You are frightened,” said Clarke —“ yea, Giat’s it. You have sat here talking to one another until you have both got horribly afraid. Don’t deny it; I can sea it in your looks. I know as well as if I saw you that our Knocking almost frightened you out of what little wits you have got. Perhaps you thought a whole troop of ghosts were coming down upon you atonce. Ha, ha!” The two officers who had arrived in company wiih Mr. Clarke laughed heartily. But neither Moggs nor Joel could sce the fun. “You did not expect to be disturbed, I'll warrant,” said Clarke, after a pause, during which he had been amusing himself by stirring the fire vigorously; “ but you. will have to change your quarters, let me tell ou. : It was at this moment that Tom King, having the audacity to quit his place of concealment, reached the door and took another peep through the chink. He saw Moggs and Joel looking considerably sur- prised upon hearing this last announcement made by their chief, Mr. Clarke, who continued speaking: “Knight and Cunningham will take your places here,” he said, “‘and you will return with me to London.” : “Very glad to hear it,” muttered Mcggs, while Joel gave a sigh expressive of the relief which he ex- perienced. ‘Don’t believe you,” said Clarke. ‘It’s a d—d sight colder outside than it is here, let me tell you; and what is more, it’s beginning to rain.” ‘ T don’t care,” said Moggs, resolutely. * Nor I,” answered Joel, with equal determination. ‘You are a couple of chicken hearts,” said Clarke —“ that’s what you are. I can see you are frightcned almost to death now.” “ We have been frightened,” said Moggs, “and I don’t g0 for to denv it.” ‘But upon what grounds ?” “ Never mind; let these who are leit here find out for themselves. 1 don’t care how soon I am out in the cold and the wet.” “Well, you will be in a moment or so,” said Clarke, I should ‘ee who looked curious and somewhat uneasy. “J want to start at once.” eas ss “ The sooner the better. (EOMMIC OOOlKS (Ele)