Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 392: what you’re looking at

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

2. eens Mila HIST rae done this Captain Hawk would have seen theM in time. 3 Dick was not a little surprised agthis sudden chauge in the behaviour of the officers, but he was not long in comprehending their tactics. What groatly astonished him was that they should abandon a pursuit of him in favour of somebody else. Previously to that moment he had the vanity to sup- pose that be was of more importance to them than anyone else. Their conduct on the present occasion served to Siow, however, that this was a mistake. As may bo supposed, Dick’s curiosity respecting this Captain Hawk greatly increased. Who could he be? What had he done that the police officers should be so exceedingly solicitous about his capture ? These were the questions which Dick asked himself, but without being able to give an answer, though he was vaguely conscious of having heard his name mentioged by some one. Beyond this his memory did not serve him. ‘ Dick—Dick !” cried Maud, who was attentively watch- ing all that was going on—“ Dick, ho does not see them. He is riding to his death.” ‘‘ He is indeed !” ve Dick had also brought his mare to a standstill, and so had Tom, now that the oflicers were no longer in pur- suit. Clearly, however, so far as their own safety was con- cerned, they ought to have made the best of their speed away. Dick could not tear himself from tko spot, so extreme was his interest. “Can you not save him?” asked Maud, with deep anxiety. ‘IT have every wish to do so, but & fear it is an im- possibility.” ‘‘ But you cannot see him perish before our eyes! Re- member, he was kind and generous enough to rerder me a service!” ‘Do not fear I should forget it. against so many ?” Maud sighed. “Tl tell you what you might do,” said Tom. © You might attract his attention to us, and then perhaps we could by signals apprise him of the danger with which he was threatened.” “A very good suggestion, Tom. <A pistol will doit, I fancy.” ‘“ Beyond a doubt it will.” “ TIlere goes, then.” Suiting the action to the word, Dick drew forth one of his pistols. He pointed it upwards and pulled the trigger. The sharp discharge which followed rang out clearly over hill and dale. It attracted the immediate attention of Captain Hawk, for to him such a sound could bode nothing but danger. When once the captain looked towards our friends they came forward and took up such positions as would render them more easily to be seen. When this was done, they waved their arms and pointed to the spot whero the officers had—if we may be allowed the term—ambushed themselves. Captain Yawk was indisputably quick cf apprehen- sion. He might not have known just why Dick and Tom Davis pointed, but he guessed that danger lay in that direction, and abruptly changed his course to one that lay nearly at right angles to it. With a politeness that seemed to form part of his nature, he did not thus turn aside until he nad acknow- ledged, by a graceful wave of his hat, the good service Dick had rendered him. Not for long, however, was he in ignorance of wha kind of danger he had been threatened with. The discovery that their intended prey had been warned, filled the officers with ungovernable fury. They could restrain themselves no longer. Uttering loud yells and shouts, they rushed forts fyem {reir concealment. Divide—divide!” cried the leader. “ Divide, 1 say {” This vague order was productive of a little confusion, But whet can I do BLACK BESS; O8 em ee ee aud yet in a short space of time the officers, now form ing two parties, were in full chase. t would have been a very great satisfaction to Dicxz could he but have seen how the captain further fared. It was important, however, that he should 220 to his own safety. In less than a moment variou* intervening opjects hid him from view. The brief pause that had so strangely taken piace was productive of one good effact. it had enabled Black Bess thoroughly to recover her wind and strength, for, of course, it was a very different thing for her to carry a double burden at such a rapid rate instead of a single one. It was, therefore, with renewed vigour and spirit that she set forward for the second time. The same arrangement was adopted as before—that ig to say, Tom Davis rode on first at the best speed his horse could make, while Dick followed at his heels. From time to time, however, Maud looked across the country whenever she had the opportunity, in the hope of again catching sight of Captain Hawk, but all trace of him appeared now to be lost. With uniform steadiness Dick found that he was in- creasing his distance from the officers, so that unless they were reinforced by fresh horses, or in case an accident occurred to our friends, it was almost impossible a capture should be effected. It was just about half an hour after this that Dick called out to Tom Davis to come to a halt, and at the same time tightened his rein. He chose an elevated piece of ground for doing this. Some time had elapsed since he had seen or even heard anything of the police officers, and he was anxious to ascertain if he could whether or not they had abandoned the chase. Having pulled up, then, he looked back. He was agreeably surprised to find that his position commanded a much more extensive view of the surround~ ing scenery than he had expected, though the moon, hav- ing now declined towards the west, no longer poured forth her light with such effulgence as hitherto. Still he could see tolerably well. He continued his scrutiny for some moments, but with- out being able to catch a glimpse of his foes. ‘‘T believe I may venture to say allis well. Ican ace nothing of them.” ‘Nor I,” answered Tom, ‘nor hear either.” ‘Then in that case I think we may venture to direct our course to our destination, which I had hoped to reach long ere this.” He was about to urge Black Bess forward, when Tem cried, somewhat suddenly : “ T can hear something now, captain.” “ Hear what ?” “ Listen !” Dick did so. a single horseman ?” he said, interrogatively. “Yes,” ‘‘ Well, he cannot concern us. Forward once more !” Tom did not offer to show the least hesitation, but set his horse in motion at once. Now, it is rather singular that both should have fallen ints an error concerning the sound they heard. £8 to its character there could be no mistake—moat certainly a single horseman was approaching. But without saying so to each other, and without paus- ing to consider carefully, both Turpin and Tom Davis came tothe conclusion that this horseman was on the road behind them. They had nut gone very far before they became aware that just the opposite was the case. The horseman was on the road before them, and, what was mcre, he was approaching them, and that, too, at no common rate of speed. - They all became conscious of this at the sane instant, but Maud was the first to remark upon it. ‘é Tt is some one approaching us,” she said. “ Yes, clearly so,” answered Dick, “though I thought otherwise.” ‘‘ What shall we do, captain ?” asked Davis. “ Ride on,” replied Turpin. ‘I see no reason why we should trouble ourselves to go out of our way for any chance passenger, and we are late enough already.” _- 2 - ee a bl Ain BO Gomicbooks (elo)