Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

eee inseam tel ’ BLUESKIN : But it was with a heavy and an anxious heart that he took the path leadiag to the little courtyard in winch the turret stood. The fate of his master’s clild and his friend’s son filled him with uneasiness. They were in the ower of their worst and most dreaded enemy, Jonathan Wild, and therefore the worst was to be anticipated. The httle door was closed, but not leckea. He pushed it open and entered. As soon as he passed through it shut again, which explained how it was he found it closed. The courtyard was quite deserted ; indeed, to uave locked at it, no one would have thought a human foot had trodden it for years. * Blueskin did not pause in his course, but ascended the winding stairs that led up to the turret. In a few minutes he reached the top and entered. All within was just as he remembered it to be, with the exception that, upon the floer where ho had fallen, was an immense pool of blood, which filled the chamber with a sickening and repulsive odour. It was a strange sick man’s whim, but Blueskin thought he should be better able to think over the occurrences o the past while he sat there than he would be elsewhere. So, taking one of the rude chairs which had served them for a seat, he placed it near the window, and sat down upon it in such a manner that he could rest his arms upon the massive back and his aching head upon his arms. Thus he gave himself up to thought. It would have been far better if he had waited until his energies were more recovered, but he was too impa- tient to do that. Utterly vain were all his endeavours to come to some rational conclusion respecting the events which had hap- pened. This, however, was certain, and beyond all dis- pute: Jonathan had, by some means unknown to hin, discovered their hiding-place, and, in concordance with his crafty nature, had stolen upon them, and taken them at unawares. Well he remembered the attack, and how the thief- taker had himself confronted him. He could guess the rest. He had been struck down and lett for dead, while Jack and Edgworth Bess he had carried off as prisoners. “ That is it, clear enough,” he said, rising to his feet, ‘ond it is no good troubling about the rest; he found it eut somehow, and turned Ins knowledge to the best advantage. What may have been the fate of Bess and Jack I tremble to think of. They are alone and friendless at the time when they most needed such assistance as a strong arw, a clear brain, and a willmg heart could afford them. I will go back now, and rest for the remainder of the day, then, if I feel well and strong enough, I will set out fer London at nightfall.” As he thus expressed his determination, he left the little turret-chamber, and retraced his steps to the cot- tage. Having resolved upon a definite course of action, he felt wonderfully better. ‘Where are the horses, I wonder, that we left in the eourt-yard?”’ he said. ‘ Has Jonathan or his men taken pessession of them, or have they strayed away? Be it which it will, it is all the same, they are gone. One of them now would have been of the greatest service to me on my journey.” And so, with his brain busy with various thoughts, he passed the day upou his bed im the little cottage. Just at sunset, old Ann came in to remove the bandages about his head, and to replace them with new oncs. She pronounced the wound wonderfully better. TI am glad to hear that,’ said Blueskin; “2 shall always feel grateful to you. Bind it up this time as well as possible, for it will be the last.” “The last ?”? repeated che old woman, with surprise. ** Yes, it is impessible for me to stay here any longer— I am imperatively called away. Hereisa purse. Itis a full one, and contains a large amount. ‘Take it m return for what you have done.” “ But,” remonstrated Ann, “you ought not to think of moving yet. Your wound is better, but it is far from pone. wvell ; a couple or three days more will put you quite nght.” May be, but I will start to-night. ft would do me more harm to stay here in anxiety than it would to start, although I may not be + vite well.” A ROMANCE. SC A i a a ‘* Perhaps so,” said the old woman, “ But if you will take my advice, you will stay.” Blueskin, however, paid no heed to her words, and when the operation of binding up the wounds was completed, bid them all farewell. The night was dark, and a cool wind swept over the earth, but this was all the more suited to him, for his blood was heated. ile gained the high road, and pursued it for some distance; then he took a lane that led him in the dirce- tion of the city of Oxford. it was his intention to proceed thither, and then take the coach to London. But it was decreed that he should be prevented from doing this, for scarcely had he gone half the distance than two dark figures sprang out upon him. So suddenly and unexpectedly was the attack made that Blueskin had no opportunity of defending himself. They clutched him on each side. ‘““ Your money!” they cried; ‘ surrender all you have, and peaceably, or you will suffer for it. Your money, I f| say!” _it wastrather strange for Blueskin to be robbed on the highway, but strange things sometimes do happen. Although he was se weak and iu so bad a pesition to defend himself, yet he did not chocse to comply with the demands of these fellows quietly, so striking out right and left, he made a vigorous attack upon them. He stood, however, no chance. The man on his right side struck him a violent blow under the right ear, which felled him at once. ° This done, they preceeded, with the utmost expedition, to rifle his pockets, and soon emptied them of anything that was of the slightest value, and then decamped, first having humanity enough to drag their victim to the side of the road, so that he was in no immediate danger of being run over by any passing vehicle. da half an hour afterwards Blueskin came to him- self. He rose to his teet and looked about him, with surprise very visibly depicted on his countenance. Then he all at once recollected what had happened. “Curse the fellows, they have conquered me,” he said ; “it might have been worse, and I ought to be the last to complain, for it is no more than I have done many a time.” | From this it will be seen that he took rather a philo- sophic view of the transaction. It was, nevertheless, vexatious in the extreme, because he was in a strange place, some distance from his desti- nation, and utterly destitute of resources. His wound was either geting much better, or else his excitement made it appear so. “There is no help for it,’ he said; ‘ my only course will be to do as they have done. The worst of it 1s, though, Tam unarmed, and not exactly a fair match for anyone. Never mind, I will try; I have been on the highway before to-night, and somehow or other have always beeu successful.” Just as he spoke these words, there rese upon the still night air the clatter of a horse’s hoofs, and the sound was sufficient to make him aware that a single traveller was approaching the spot upon which he stoed at an easy trot CHAPTER LXXXVII. RELATES HOW BLUESKIN STOLE A HORSE, AND THEN WENT ON THE HIGHWAY. ‘ FORTUNE favours me,” exclaimed Blueskin. “I will try to take all the advantage of the circumstance within my power. It will be no easy task, thongh, for me, un- armed and on foot, to <€op aman on horseback. It must be done by stratagem.” He coud not as yet obtain a glimpse of the approaching horsemaz, for the lane, about a hundred yards further on, took a sudden bend to the left. Moreover, the night was too dark a one for objects at any great distance to be distinguishable. y earer aud nearer, plainer and plainer, grew the sounds. _ Blueskin, for a moment, was undecided as to which would be the best stratagem for him to adopt, but he decided upon ene that looked rather hazardous. COmIIcooOokS.G© 5}