Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

La2€ ittie private room behind the bar where he had so often held conferences with the highwe ymen, and where, as we know, he had such an elaborate piece of mechanism to warn him of the entrance of any police officers or sus- picious person into the house. : “Speak low,” he said, as the highyrayn:er seated them- selves around the fire, which they were glad to do, for the night was chilly—" not a soul knows of your arrival, I firmly believe, and, if you are only ordinarily careful, we shall settle everything with comfort.” “But, first of all,” said Tom, “satisfy me on a point which puzzles me completely.” “ Well, what is it ?” “Why, you said you had been waiting for us—wuat made you expect we should arrive? The resoluticn was only made, I might say, at the last moment.” “Why,” said old Matthew, “simply because Dick has sent here several times to-day to know whether there was any intelligence for him or not, Of course there was none, and that mate me in momentary expectation of some of ou.” “'Tpen he is still in Newgate ?” *‘ Yes, he was less than an hour ago, and I daresay is now; and, speaking candidly, there I think he is likely to remain, unless you can contrive to get him cut by main force or stratagem.” : “ Has there been any communication from the King ?” ‘None that I have heard of.” “Then Davis’s forebodings are only too true. But stay, it will save time if I begin at the beginning end tell rou all.” Old Matthew nodded, as though he fully believed this. Accordingly, Tom commenced relating to Dick’s old friend all those events with which the reader has already been made acquainted. There is no necessity for repeating his brief summary of them. To the account of the assassination old Matthew listened with the keenest interest, and asking many ques- tions with the view of eliciting every detail. ‘Now you know all,” said Tom, in conc’usion, “ and, such being the case, think the whole ovez and give us your advice.” YT will. But hush !—wait an instant.” All this time old Matthew’s eyes had been directed to one particular part of the wall, the spot indeed that was occupied by the supposititious ciock. As usual, the clock showed the hour of six, but just as Matthew spoke, the hand dropped to the quarter past. The highwaymen had all been made familiar with this piece of mechanism, and they gazed upon it with mingled interest and admiration. “Just keep quiet,” said old Matihew. ‘‘ There’s some one standing at the bar to drink—I wonder who it is? Ah! look there.” The hand dropped to the half hour. An anxious look settled upon all their countenances. ‘Something suspicious,” said old Matthew. ‘This ts what J feared—I was afraid the coming and going of tha’ jailer so frequently would be noticed. Depend upon it, some police officer has seen him, and now they are again on the alert. We may have some trouble—not that it would matter on any other night than the present, forI could baffle them easily; but now every moment is precious indeed.” So the hichwaymen felt, and they remained with their eyes fixed upon the dial-plate with an intensity that can | scarcely be imagined. Suddenly there was a simultaneons cry of relief. The long hand flew back to its original position, and the clock again showed the hour of 41x. All right so far,” said Blatthew, settling Limsei# more comfortably in his chair. “A false alarm, I suppose— nothing more.” * But is tho danger over, .hink you ?” “For the present, | can answer most certainly in the effirmative, and should anything fresh arise, fvar net chat we should receive timeify intimation of it.” With this assurance, the highwaymen were satisfied, and now they remained waiting, with no small amount of anxicty, for old Matthew to communicate his views upoa the subject laid before him. Rafore ha spoke, he took hold of the Ietter-bag, which, “we < A a ee LEI BACK BESS, OR, er ey we need scarcely say, had been carefully taken cara of by the highwaymen. . Hoe turned it over and over several times, looking long- — inely at the lock, and making one or two feeble attempts to open it. “Tf I could only peep insida,” he said, “then our douots would be at rest—we should know just what to do. The yoyal armsareon it. There’s a letter inside evidently from the King to the Governor of Newgate , the question is, dees it concern the captain? Is it the order for his release ?” | Old Matthew twisted the letter-bag over and over again. “ That’s just the question,” said Tom King, leaning forward in his‘earnestness. “IJ wish with all my heart = = 8 — that we could ascertain that.” “Tt is impossible, I fear,” returned Matihew. “ To > open this bag would be, in my opinion, in the highest degree dangerous ; the Governor would know then that something was amiss.” ‘‘But what baffles me,” said Claude Duvyai, ‘is the assassination of the messenger. By whom could that have been perpetrated, and what was the object ? Certainly we know so far as this, that it was intended to prevent ‘ha delivery of the letter-bag.” “ That, I fear, will remain an unexplained mystery we may conjecture something upor it, and yet be all the time far from the truth. The principal thing to me — appears to be what shall we do with the letter-bag 2?” “ And to me also,” said Tom King. “ Let us fix our attention upon that.” There was a long pause. It was broken by old Matthew. ‘As it is unwise, if not impossible, to open this bag and glean the nature of its contents, the question is, shall we deliver it at the prison and wait a short time and ascertain the effect produced by it? If none at all, why, then we must make up our minds to some desperate prozeed- ing.’ “ It seems so,” answered Tom. “ But I confess my own uneasiness increases rather than abates. In such a case the only thing that we could do would be to attempt a rescue at T'yburn, and I sadly fear that, however well that might be organised, it would fail; the authorities have been served that trick once, and what we saw to-night proves clearly that they will be prepared at all points for resistance.” | An ominous silence followed this speech, from which it might be inferred that its truth could not be disputed by anyone present. Again their attenti plate. Tho hand fell rapidly to the quarter, and from the quarter to the half-hour, as before. “ Confound it!” said old Matthew, angrily. ‘ There’s some one lurking about, I am quite sure of it. However, keep still, there’s no cause for immediate apprehension ; perhaps the danger will pass away as before.” Had he expressed a wish to this effect its fulfiment would have been immediate, for even while ke spoke the clock signalled “ all well.” “Itis best to be over cautious,” he said. given etrictinjunctions. Beiter & than to be kept a moment too lato,” “Oh, certainly,” said Tom—“msst certainly!” And whi'z he spoke he rose to his feet. There was an air of determination about him which all immediately noticed, and long before he spoke they knew that he had formed a settled resolution. “ My mind is made up,” he said— firmly made up. Wnat letter-bag shall be delivered, and we will run the risk for an hour or two of the effect it producés, Give it here, Matthew, I will take it myself.” “ You take it ?” ejaculated Matthew. ‘ Nonsense—you ert msd! I will never suffer such a thing !” “} am in earnest,” said Tom, “and nothing in the weo!d shall causeme to change my decision. Give it te me; I shallnot be content until 1 know for certain that it is delivered safely. And how can £ be so well asaured of that asishall be i I piace itin «he Governor's nands myself ?” “Bat it is outraceous—impossible !” cried old Matthew, excitedly. ‘‘ liven if this bag contains the message weso- earnestly wish for, you will osly be thrusting your ows neck inte the pooss.” ate EOMIGCDOOKS. co: = on was distracted by the dial- “T have trousaud false alarms “a 3) \ —_