Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

1422 ehurches around, the stillness being so great that distant ones were plainly audibie. In every variety of intonation was the hour proclaimed, and when the strokes had died away, the sound ws suc- eeeded by another less audible and of a far different cha- racter. Tt required a momentary attention before one gould de- cide upon the nature of this sound. It was that low, hearse murmur something fee the sound produced by the waves, and which is ever the accompaniment of a large mass of people. That hoarse murmur, then, came from the dense throng of people outside Newgate—from those who, with extra- ordinary paticice, had taken up their positicns in the Old Bailey, in order, by waiting there, to be the first to catch a glimpse of the doomed man when the folding doors were unclosed. : A drizzling rain began to fall from a dark, overhanging sky—a rain that threatened to become more violenit-ere long, and which showed every indication of continuing without intermission for many Lours. But the steadiest downpour would not have had the effect of dispersing those who hud congregated with- out. Suddenly the sound of a footstep breaks the deep silence which reigns through the prison of Newgate. More and more distinct it becomes, until at length it pauses before the door of Dick Turpin’s cell. A bright ray of lizht comes streaming through the huge keyhole, and falls upon the prisoner. But he heeds it not. Some words were hurriedly exchanged, followed by re- treating footsteps. Then the door of the cell was flung open. A brilliant light seemed at once to be shed all over it, yet this was only by contrast with the previous darkness, fcr the illumination proceeded only from a lantern. “ Asleep!” said a voice. ‘Can it be possible? Would a man sleep thus on the night before his execution ? Tarpin—Turpin, awake!” These words entered Dick’s ears, and peretrated to his understanding. With a sudden start, ho looked up, and tien he saw Mr. Bradbury, the Governor of the prison, atanding before him. CHAPTER DCCCL3X. THE DETERMINATION OF TITE HIGIIWAYMEN TURNS OUT TO BE A MOST FORTUNATE ONE. In order to explain what follows, it is necessary to go back to the proceedings of Dicl: Turpin’s comrades. According to their stated intention, they quitted the Three Spiders, and made their way by the most direct route to the London load. There was no small amount of danger in so doing, but they reasonably concluded that, Dick being still in New- gate, the principal force of the police would be collected round that point. At any rate, danger or not, that was the road they de- _ termined upon. , The very daring of the proceeding was likely to bring with it a certain amount of success. “We cannot do much better,” said Tom King, “than journey on to old Matthew’s. Of al other men, le is tho most 1ikely to give us infosmavien Tespesting the cap- tain.” et ““Yos, decidediy so,’ said Sixteen-String Jack; “and he is the man best calculated to he:p us in our present emergency. He is fertile in all expedients, and may per- haps give us advice well worthy of being followed.” “Not a doubt of it,” joined in Claude Duval. “Come on, comrades—mend your pace a little! tis tr¥ing to one’s patience to creep along like this !” At a brisk trot the highwaymen now too« thefr way along tle hard, well-beaten road, nor did they pause or speak until the sharp clatter of a horse’s hoofs npon the road behind them reached their ears. ‘Wark !” said Tom, gently drawing in the rea, - some one 1s cu:uing after us at full gallop. Who on earth can it be 2?” “Some chance traveller perhaps,” said Claude. ‘ Push on—never mind!” BIACK BESB; O8, = == ‘But he will enevitably overtake us ere long,’ said Tom. ‘Let us pull up and draw to one side.” ‘‘ No adventure, Toi,” said Sixteen-String Jack—" ne adventure! We have enough already on hand.” “T know that,” westhe answer. ‘ Yet it will be better to allow this man, wx ever he may be to pass, then we can follow on as we picase.” “Well, just as you like,” said Claude. ? “You have command of the expedition to-night, and you can do just as yor like, provided that you don’t embroil yourseli in any other adventure.” “‘ Don’t fear that,” said Toin King. ‘ Look—yonder is ® narrow lane. Let us go dows ‘Rata little way; we shall then be unseen.” “ But let us take a glance as he pas: by, whoever hs neay be,” said Jack. ‘‘Oh, yes, certainly—I fully intended it.” Just on the left hand was a narrow lane, oa Soth sides of which trees were growing very thickly, so that a deep shadow was cast all round about the spot. Just at the mouth of this lane—if we may so cail it— the highwaymen placed themselves in a line. They knew they could depend upon their horses re- maining motionless, ane from their present position they would have no difliculty in glancing at the approaching traveller. On he came, his speed accelerated, if anything. It was a horse of rare quality, as the rate he was going at fully proved. ‘He is no ordinary rider,” said Tom King, “rest as- sured of that.” Scarcely had he spoken the words than the traveller, with a rush like an arrow, sped past the top of the lane, and was instantaneously lost to sight. “One would think he was riding for his life,” said Tom. “ However, he is past, so we will jog on quietly behind him.” Just then the silence of the night was broken in upon by another sound. Ths was the loud report of a firearm of some deserip- tion, and scarcely had the report ceased before it was fol- lowed by another. Then our friends fancied they heard a cry of pain, “‘ By Jove,” said ‘Tom, “he has stopped !” He alluded to the traveller. The next moment, however, the sound of a horse’s hoofs could be heard as distinctly as ever. ‘‘ No, no,” murmured his companions. ‘ But he is coming back now,” said ‘T’om. earth is the meaning of this ?” There could be no doubt as to the truth of what Tom said, The traveller was evidently galloping back at the same tremendous rate. Tom King pressed forward a little nearer to the high- road, and this time caught sight of him. The clouds, which up to then had covered the sky completely, parted in one spot, or, rather, the moon hap- pened to shine through a portion of the clouds less dense than the remainder. By the dim light thus shed upon the earth, Tom per- ceived, to his astonishment, that the traveller was seated in a most peculiar position on his steo.. His head was bent ever towards tho horse’s neck, and his arms seemed to hang helpless by his sides. Then, scarecly able to restrain a cry, Tom perceived him sway backward and forwards in such a manner as to place him in imminent danger of losirg his balance. Another roll to one side, and then, with a crash, the traveller fell into the roadway. His foot was entangled ‘n the stirrup, and the frightened horse galloped on Only for a few paces, however. The gallant creature, with the rare instinct of its race, knowing that something was amiss wiih its rider, stood stone still. Amazed at this occurrence, Tom was about to hastea to the stranger's assistance, when he heard another horse- man approaching, so, acting upon the impulse of the moment, he stood still, and waited for him to approach. This second horseman came cn more careiWly than the first, yet the specd he made was very great. All at once, however, Le appeared to catch sight of the prostrate form in the roadway and the borse standing ‘What on MIicDooks (E(0) CO