Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

‘ ~ & A ‘ Swe) at ad ie the ¥¢ oe a > « TA aor," igey ae way Aer, i a2 ps . 7 : a. Se , r<y >" Po ne ~ > A. «J! ry . 0 eee, eae ~ = nd Bie herr , 3 7 *husza-= me Se $a 7 - : * ' ee 5 ’ Z ee: ee : : ; > - ‘ — P| : No mat er,” said Tom, if possible more firmly than —‘no matter, my mind is made up! I will go! es, I would not shrink even though J felt certain that ‘instant death followed the!delivery uf the bag. __- you know my determinatig’, and words and cntrestios ____-will be alike powerless to f :n me from it.” P A dead silence followed) ne utterance of these warts, - andold Matthew suffered Tom King to take the letter- bag from his hands. not making a further show of re- __- zistance. _____ *'fhis should be done alone,” 'Tom went on; “ard if -__- tam successful, you wili shortly be aware of it.” t. ' At this juncture, however, Claude and Jack warmly os _ intorposed. 2 ats. itt * ten _ “# No, no, Tom,” they said; “we are willing to sive in Efe: to you to almost any extent, but we cannot allow you to Me 2 have things entirely your own way. No, no; not by | 4 sam We have heard your decision; now hear ours. If you persevere in your intention, we will accom- pany you on this the most perilous and rash adventure we have yet undertaken.” _ Be it so, then,” said Tom, and they could tell by his _—sa@DY ~means. “: be * ¥ - os —_ * ~ - ; cv) manner that he felt a secret pleasure at this manifesta- eee of devotion—“ be it so. I would allow pao epposi- tion myself, therefore I will offer none to you.” ‘ _ _. * Then it’s settled,” said Claude and Jack. “Now, Fa Matthew, one glass, and we start. That will just allow us the opportunity to see that our weapons are in perfect ae order, for we may have to use them ere long.” ee _ “Wo remonstrances,” broke in Tom Ising, sternly, fancying that Matthew was about to put ina protest— | “no remonstrances. We will be deaf to ail.” ear *T am sorry you are so headstrong,” said Matthew, placing a glass before each—‘ very sorry; because, if | gould only get you to see it, there would be very much ‘more prudence and safety in my delivering this letter- = acct bag than in your taking it, and I trust that the suggestion as I now make it will be acted upon.” adie - “No, no, Matthew,” said Tom King, “I must posi- . om _ tively refuse you. Iam Dick Turpin’s best and nearest _ friend. We have been many a time in the utmost Ba _ danger, and the one has never hesitated to sacrifice him- Self forthe other. Dick’s life is now at stake—lterally, rege it is trembling in the balance. On such an occasion, Prete then, I will yield the right of aiding him to no man, not seven, Matthew, to you.” 4 Z CHAPTER DCCCLEXIIL. _ GIVES A LONG, BUT NECESSARY, EXPLANATION RESPECTING THE ASSASSINATION OF THE KING’S MESSENGER. In order not to leave any mystery unsolved, if may, per- haps, be as well in this place to interrupt the thread of | the narrative, for a moment, to explain why, and by whom, the King’s messenger had been assassinated. It was not until afterwards, however, that the facts __ came to the knowledge of the highwaymen. But still, it will be seen, their relation now will serve to make all perfectly clear. _ Thé reader will remember Lord Spindelow, and with __ reference to whom it must be mentioned that he occupied __-—-« @ prominent position at court, and was indeed high in ___ favour with the King. gone Yet he was not satisfied; and hearing by chance of a the existence of the mysterious letter, he, by a clever _ $tratagem, gained possession of it, and then found him- ae * Y= Sige es on . . . 4 sie self ina position to exercise unlimited power, not only Over the mysterious lady, but over the King himself. __ It must be understood, though, that while he held an- - lawful possession of this letter, no opportunity arose for - chim to make use of it. agp Willis was one of the King’s porsone| attendants, and, by various means, Lord Spindelow had won him over tb entirely to his intaxests, employing him generally to act __ as spy upon his royal master. On the evening that Tem King had his strange inter- view with royalty, Willig applied as ear to the keyizcle _ of the conservatory doox, and managed to glean dome- CORE thing of the matters that were discussed between them, ie 8 Lord Spindelow was at the time absent from the castie, ? : ____ but on his return on the following day, he was at once made acquainted with everything, ‘ _. 4a London his lordship had learned with unfeigned ‘THE WNIGHT OF THE ROAD. 1437 delight that Dick Turpin was at last a prisoner in Now gate, and that he would inevitably perish at Tyburn. It may he guessed how revengeful and bitter would be his teclings towards him; and, indeed, tf was with dith- culty that he could restrain himself from paying a visit to Newgate, in order to exuit over him. Nv sooner did he hear that the King had promised to liberate Dick Turpin than he was frantic with rage. ea in such a position. what was ho to do ta help him- self? . Dark thoughts quickly rose fn his mind, especially when he learned that a messenger had already been despatched. Ife did net hesitate then to forma bicodthirsty reselu- ~ tion. Obtaining a flect horse, he started off in pursuits of the messenger; but owing to the latter Laving paused at a small inn lyiug alittle way off the road—where, in facet, there waa a nretty daughter to whom he paid his atten-— tions at every opportunity—Lord Spindelow missed kim, and did not discover the fact until, at a hard gallop; be performed nearly the whole of the journey to Loudon. Then he reined up aud looked about him with the in- tention of riding back slowly in order to meet the man he wanted. His calculation’ was that if he could assassinate this man, destroy the letter, and hide all traces of his crime, Dick Turpin’s execution would take place before there would be time to communicate again with the King. Then, as for the discovery of the murder, he hoped to avoid all the consequences resulting from the same. This, then, gives us the necessary ciue, We have seen how the unfortunate messenger fell into the ambuscade laid for him, and how the bullet which Lord Spirdelow despatched upon its deadly errand did ils worl. When Tom fired, the bullct from his pistol struex his- lordship near the shoulder, inflicting a painful and dan- vrerous-looking wound. But aware of the consequences that would follow his discovery and recognition, he feit himself moved to double streugth to make the effort to escape, and so he forced his way through the hedge, and staggered rather than walked across a field. Here he came to another hedec, through which he made his way with still more difficulty. Then another field, and afterwards he perecived a light gleaming in the darkness, Doubting not that it proceeded from the window of some cottage, he struggled painfully on in the hopo of reaching it at every step. He felt, however, that his strength was rapidly leaving him. : Finding this to be the case, oaths and curses of the most horrible description issued from his lips. What angered him more than all was the knowiedgo that, after having committed the crime of murder, he had been foiled at last. | His eyes grew dizzy, and it was with difficulty he made out the objects by which he was surrounded. Suddenly he stumbled, and the shock this gaye him seemed to revive him a little. ; Greatly to his surprise, he found that he had reached the rude palisading with which the garden of the cot- tage was surrounded. He could sce the humble little habitation plainly enough now, and, still holding by tae palisades, crept on slowly in the hope of finding the gate. Ee was successful. Pushing if open, and leaving a trail of blood him as he went, he staggercd up to the door. He tried to knock, but his strength failed him, and kag fell with a dull, lumbering sound against the panel. A faint scream came from the interior cf the cottage. Then the door was unpolted. No soonsr was the fastening removed than the weight of Lord y pindelow’s body {forced the door open wits rest violence, and he fell heavily upon the thresho.d. The greatest consternation was created in the ‘‘iuze py the occurrence of this event But when their first alarm was ovcr, the immates turned their attention to the wounded stranger. Geutly they raised him and carried him towards the fir, They saw that blood was pouring from the wonul sac tried in vain to check it. bend KS (E(0) = , Eomicboo