Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

= Mio Rel ~WJndeed? so long? Then it is in vain to search among these poor relics of humanity hoping to disccver pomething iti by this time he must be unrecognis- t “Yes,” returned the young man, “and ( em glad iis ea. “Glad?” repeated Turpin, in surprise ’ _ “Yes, because now I can still entertain myselt with a oubt that he may not have perished in this foul manner. i have yet no confirmation of it, eor do 1 see what vidence is tu be obtained.” _ “No,” said Dick. ‘Yet, would it not be best to know the vorst at once, and so resign yourself to it? If some- ulag was found clearly pointing to his presence in this Sisos, would you not accept that as sufficient testimony thai ue has perished ?” “Yes,” said the stranger, gloomily, “if that could be I ghould indeed give over my long search.” _“ And your dangerous one,” said Dick, “for every day you are perilling your life. Think what a narrow escape you have had on this occasion.” “JT do think of it: but I think more of the manner in which you speak ; < vould almost believe that you possess 3ome such evidence as that you speak of.” *t And if Ido,” said Dick, “ would it not be best for me to produce it ?” _ “ Pernaps so—perhaps 50.” _ * Well, then, I confess, without further hesitation, that oy chance I found upon the floor, close here to where we stand, a small trinket. It puzzled me beyond all measure 0 account for its presence in so strange a spot; now, how- aver, I have the key to all.’’ “« What kind of trinket ?” asked the stranger. “ A locket.” “Let me see it—let me see it! t!’ ) “TJ will; but prepare yourself for confirmation of your iend’s untimely fate, Inthelocket is the portrait of a rirl, young and beautiful.” | |“ Yes—yes! Lucy—Lucy !” oa Lucy no doubt; but satisfy yourself by a glance. It g there.’ ; While he spoke, Dick dropped the locket into the young jaan’s extended hand. _ No sooner did his eyes fall upon it than he uttered a eep groan. Some moments elapsed before he could recover himself sufficiently to gaze upon it a second time. _“ Yes—yes!” he said, at length, ina broken voice. “I an doubt no longer. Well do I remember seeing this ocket? ‘The ehain is broken now; but itis of gold, and was of rare workmanship. Before he went to sea, Lucy placed it round his neck with her own hands, and en- reated him to wear it always for her sake.” “No doubt he did so,” answered Turpin, “and his nurderers in their haste let it fall upon the ground.” © That's it—that’s it !” | Dick could see tnat the young man the more he thought bout his friend’s fate was the more overcome, and he ndeayoured to change the subject of his thoughts. “Bear with me a moment,” replied the stranger, ~I hall be better soon. Oh, Lucy! how will you withstand his awful blow? What will be your feelings when you ear the awfultale? Who could have thought that this nift of yours would prove the means of clearing up the aystery of his death ?” | Atthat moment a peculiar rumbling noise attracted heir attention. Dick held up his hand for silence. _ At the same time he placed the lamp as much out of i - as he ey ‘i e rumbling continued, and, pressing his companion’s rm, Dick stepped forward ene easly. = nit | The young man followed. _ When near the end of the passage, Dick stopped, ane yoked upwards. | The trap door in the ceiling was now throwag open, and n the edge of it was a lantern. | | The light from this shone upon the top portion of a adder which had been lowered into the abyss. | It was this ladder, then. which had produced the strange ambling noise. Voices were heard speaking in suppressed accents. ‘Thon @ man’s head appeared above the edge of the - ae e Pray let me look upon sae Ir ( o | } FRR BHIGAY UF THE Bodr. 4 Fes He looked down for some time intently. . IT don’t see him,” he muttered—“] don’t see him! Yet he must be there—of course he’s there! Curse it! What makes me feel so nervous and terrified to-night—I fee] half afraid to go down!” : ‘Afraid ?” said another voice. “That's a good joke Here~. ‘ake a drop of this; it will give Ee COUTAZR. * And will you come down toa mate?” ie ‘“‘ Of course I will.” “Then here goes.” The man, having thus spoken, placed his foot upon the ladder and began to descend. He took the lantern from the floor, and carried it in his hand. ‘Now, mate,” he cried to the other, “come along; we'll both descend the ladder together.” The other man obeyed, and, keeping as close together as they could, the two villains went slowly down, step by step. Dick and the young man gazed upon them with the utmost abhorrence. As for Turpin himself, he felt that it would be wrong to tredt them as he would any other adversaries. Clearly he was justified in taking them by surprise, and overpowering them without allowing them an opportunity to retaliate. Accordingly, with a swift, noiseless footstep, he made his way to the centre of this circular apartment, if se we may term it. The men were now about half-way down. Dick stood close to the foot of the ladder. He had already made up his mind what to do, and so with a sudden exertion of his whole strength, he seized hold of two of the bottom rounds in the pulled with all his might. The effort succeeded. With an awful crash the ladder fell, carrying the two men with it. | The lantern rolled far away into a corner, and was ex- tinguished. The men were so taken by surprise as to be thoroughly frightened. An attack in that quarter surely could not be made by human beings—they had at last been encountered by the inhabitants of another world. Dick hurried forward, calling out to his companion at the same time to bring the lamp. He was obeyed. The two villains, hearing his voice, recovered some of their composure. Their greatest fear now was over—they had to en- counter mortals, not beings of another world. Accordingly, despite the fearful injuries they must have sustained in falling from so far so awkwardly, they struggled to their feet and commenced an immediate attack. Dick, however, was prepared for them, and had every advantage, although he was unprovided with any weapons, ith his clenched fist he struck one such a violent blow that it put his rising again altogether out of the question—at least, for some time to come. The other shared a similar fate, and by the time the young man arrived with the lamp, the two wretches were lying insensible on the ground. At the sight of them the stranger could scarcely re- strain his fury. 3 Insensible as they then were, he felt impelled to attack them with the utmost rage. ‘‘Now,” said Dick, ‘it strikes me we have the way before us to get out. Help me to taisy the ladder once mors.’ With considerable difficulty the ladder was lifted up @nd placed in its original position, and no sooner was this done than Dick and his companion mounted. On reaching the top, ‘l'arpin found himself in a bed- chamber such as the young man had described is was untenanted by anyone. Looking at the trap-door, they saw it was so eon- structed that the least weight pressing on one end of it would cause it to give way, allowing the object, whatever it might be, to fall through. ' As soon as this was accomplished. the spring at the other end restored the trap-door to its original appearance adder and EO MIE OCC) '@ 'S (G(0)