Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

a BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. Thus speaking, he entered the cell. The poor persecuted girl was lying upon the straw just as he had left her, but the noise he made in entering, and the light of the lantern which he carried aroused her, and she sat up. J peathan Wid looked at her in silence. He knew that at first her mind must be in a state of great confusion, and he waited until such time as she should be able to recall her thoughts and realize her present position. iit you will know better. Look at my position,” he cried, in an exultant tone of voice. ‘“* Blueskin is dead. Jack a prisoner. You a prisoner too, and your uncle so deeply and wholly in my power that he exists but at my plea- sure, and £ can compel him to act just as I choose.” CHAPTER LXXVI. Her beautiful countenance assumed an expression df| A MYSTELTOUS AND SORROW-STRICKEN OLD MAN SEEKS alarm as she saw the kind of place in which she was. Then her eyes fell upon the thief-taker. She recognised him instantly, aud with a sudden rush the memory of all that had occurred came back to her, and she uttered a piercing shriek, which echoed and re- echoed in the vaulted corridor without. So distressing were all the circumstances, that for a second time she almost relapsed into a state of uncon- sciousness ; but the harsh grating tones of Jouathan’s voice aroused her, and, making a great effort, she sat up and looked him as calmly as she could in the face. For the life of him Wild could not bear that gaze, and he was forced to abase his eyes. * Villain!’’ she exclaimed, “you shall repent of this. Blueskin and Jack will save me.” Ha! ha!” There was something very hornble and cold-blooded about this reply, and Bess shuddered. Ha! ha!” said Wild again. “Ha! ha! They will save you, will they? I doubt it.” “But I do not,” she rephed, S‘and IL have faith in heaven.” ** Good again, good again. That, I fancy, will be all you will have to trust to. Blueskin—the traitor Blueskin— ha! ha! is dead. I slew him with my own hand, and so you will get small help from him.” ** 1 will not believe it,’ cried Bess, passionately. ‘I have too much faith in the mercy of Providence to believe that it would deprive me of a defender, and leave me tothe mercy of a villain like yourself.” “Then, as for your fancy man, Jack Sheppard,” con- tinued Wild, unheeding her words, “ he is safely lodged in Newgate, and when he leaves it it will be in a cart, and he will take a little journey out of town. Ha! ha!” Wild was tickled with his villainous wit. | What do you mean?” asked Bess, who, beyond the idea that Jack was in some danger, did not comprehend him. ‘“ What do you meau?” ** What I say. He is a prisoner on a charge of burglary, which I shall bring against him. He will go through the form of a trial, be condemned, and swing at Tyburn.” * No—no!”’ she cried piteously, as she threw herself on her knees at Jonathan’s feet. ‘*‘No—no! You will not, cannot do such an awful deed.” “Ha! ha!” ‘Tell me that you are only threatening me for some ulterior purpose—that you do not really mean what you say. Speak to me—speak to me!” ‘* Are you willing to listen to reason ?”’ * Yes—yes! Oh! God; yes! Speak—speak!” “Be calm, then. Jack has no doubt made you ac- qnainted with the secret of your life.” “He has. He told me, too, that you had joined my enemies, and were against me—that you had tried to bend him to your will. But you failed—you failed.” ‘Knowing this, then, you must be aware that it is merely by the orders of another that I act.” ** My cruel uncle ?”’ ** Exactly so.” “And what reward ?” cried Bess, a fresh hope spring- ing up in her mind; “‘ and what reward does he offer you for doing this? Tell me its amount, and I will double— ay, treble it—if you will put me in possession of my own.” Jonathan smiled grimly. ** You cannot.” *€ Cannot what ?” ‘* Double the reward.” ta Why not? Surely I have enough for that.” “No,” said Wild. “My reward will be the sole and undisputed possession of all your wealth and estates.”’ “Impossible!” cried the young girl, with a startled look. ‘* My uncle could not be so toolish.” “You are green,” said Wild. I —+— AN INTERVIEW WITH THE THIEF-TAKER. As Jonathan spoke these words he drew himself up to his full height, and looked defiantly around him. Edgworth Bess gazed upon him with the utmost sur- prise and terror. * You know now,” said Wild, after a brief silence. ‘© That is what 1 meant to tell you. I shall leave you now, in order that you may perpend what you have heard. I shall return in a few hours, and then—ha! ha!—then, my dear, I have a little proposal to make to you.” A hideous leer accompanied these words. What did he mean ? Bess was terrified, though at what she knew not. “A little proposal which you will do well to accede to, I can assure you, for if you comply with my wishes, I will do what you wish in return. While I am gone think over all I have said, and make what you ean of it.” Jonathan left the cell, and, closing the door behind him, fastened 1t carefully. Edgworth Bess listened to the sound of his retreating footsteps along the passage. Then, groping her way back to the straw, she flung herself upon it, and clasping her bands over her eyes, strove to thiuk. Jonathan’s words and mysterious behaviour filled her with undefined dread. That he had some deep and hidden motive in paying her the visit he did, she knew enough of him to be certain. But she tound all attempts to speculate upon it fruitless. Then the current of her thoughts changed, and wiih a burst of sorrow she thought of the sad fate of her friend and protector, Blueskin, and the reflection that it was to her that he owed his death, added fresh poignancy to her rief.. 7 Jack Sheppard, too, who despite his criminality, she loved with all the fond devotion of a true woman’s heart. He, too, was in a scarcely better position, for had not Jonathan told her he was doomed to die—to die the most shameful and ignominious of all deaths. There she was alone and undefended, without a friend to aid her at the time when a strong arm and a willtog heart were most needed to protect her. Truly was her situationa wretched cne indeed, and can it be wondered at that she gave herself up entirely to despair. Let her turn her mental vision in whatever direction she would, she could see not the faintest glimmering of hope. The sobs and tears, as bit by bit the torlornness of her condition forced itself upon her, were really heartbreaking. There was but one source from which she could draw consolation. She knew the indomitable energy of Jack's disposition, and from that knowledge argued that he would make a powerful effort to escape and rescue her from the grasp of her persecutors. And so, in a state of mind at times bordering upon madness, but at all times wretched, the day passed AWSy. Tomita Wild, when he left her cell, went up into the hall, and, after a moment’s reflection, out ef tho front door. ‘“* Flood!” “Yes, Mr. Wild. What did you please to want, sir? I am here at your service, Mr. Wild.” ““Ya—ah! Silence. I shall be back in an hour.” Very good, sir. Oh! yes, sir.” Jonathan descended the steps, and Flood, as he closed the door, muttered— ‘The villain. I did hope he was done for, curse Lim! I wish I had hit him a little harder than I did.” It will be recollected that Flood was the name of the man who had knocked Wild about so when they conveyed ‘When you are older} him to London. perryrt te PES IE SS SOY aE i a I ce een OR ee. +e ee ER GIT ad i Ls lal, DAD LE E L EES ee ee a ee el etal EO NOOKS (SO) 5}