Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

ER Le 28 OY Os BLUESKIN! A ROMANCE. Upon locking back, which he did instantly and in- atinctively, he saw the dusky figure of a man. Who it was he had no idea. - ** Some late passenger, I suppuse,”’ he said, as he con- tinued on his way; ‘‘ and yet, where did he oome from ? How is it I did not hear his footstep before ?”’ These questions aroused a little suspicion in Jack’s breast, although the thought that some one had heen set to watch him by Wild did not occur to him. Jack slackened his pace a little, in the hope that who- ever it was behind him would pass him; but this was not done, and he soon found his own anxiety and im- patience too great for him to loiter. Accordingly he resumed his wonted pace. Even as Bess had done about an hour before him, he reached that part of Ludgate-hill where itis divided from Fleet-street by Fleet-market. Now all about this spot was quite silent, and showed no traces of the presence of those who had hunted tho poor girl like some wild animal through the streets What has been her fate? We shudder as we ask the question. Jack heard the footsteps behind him slowly approach. **I will cross over,’ he muttered. ‘‘ It may be some one who has an object in tracking me, for my escape from Newgate is doubtless by this time pretty widcly known. I will cross over, and if he attempts to follow me np Fleet-street, I will dispose of him.’’ With these words on his ligs, Jack crossed thestreet, and then listened with some eagerness whether the man behind followed him. He did so. Yet Jack thought it might be the result of accident, and that he should keep straight on was only natural. Before he took any steps, therefore, to get rid of him, it would be necessary to obtain further evidence that he was actually following in his track. ‘JT will run,” said Jack, “and that as fast as possible. Not only will it take me sooner to my destination, but set all my doubts at rest.’’ Without delay, Jack set off at a speed that was really surprising. Wilkinson, who was behind, seeing this sudden move- ment, and being fearful that his prey would escapehim, began to run too, and that at a prodigious rate. He had, in fact, trained himself to running, and there were very few indeed who could surpass him. Ari now Jack, having ascertained that the man behind was really in pursuit of him, resolved to put an end to it, for although he might have distanced him by running, yet he did not desire to try. Therefore, finding that his pursuer was coming on after him at full-speed, he suddenly dropped down upon his hands and knees in the middle of the path. It was too dark, and Jack was too far off, for Wilkin- son to see the movement ; but he heard the sudden ces- sation of his rapid steps, and so, fearful that he had eluded him in some way or other, rushed blindly on with redoubled speed. Intent on looking before him, he did not notice the dark form crouching down in his path, and the counse- queuce was, he caught his feet avainst him. Over he went in a moment, with his head ploughing the stones, and his heels in the air. Such, too, was his impetuosity, that he scudded along for several feet before he could stop himself. Jack Sheppard, in spite of the anxiety that was tug- ging at his heart, could not forbear a laugh as ho wit- nessed the complete discomfiture of hisfoe. — He quickly scrambled to his feet. Then, walking to where Wilkinson lay immovable upon the stones, he kicked him over on to his back. The light from a contiguous oil-lamp fell upon his face and figure. ‘Why, it’s Jonathan Wild’s man,” he said. “ What did he want after me ?”’ CHAPTER XOVIILI. JACK SHEPPARD FINDS A TRACE OF POOR BESS WITE- OUT KNOWING IT, AND IS ATTACKED BY THE OFPI- CERS AT THE INN. THIs was one of those questions which was more easily asked than answered; but neverthcleas, it set Jack thinking, = wimceiagnnmiilin oe ee ee Dai ene re Sareea fiat reentcrecn ce nn re ar OIG tmnt flagstones. 48 But acute as he generally was, his intellect was not subtle enough to enable him to arrive at a true solution of the affair, though that there was something more in Wild setting him free than could be perceived at a first glance, he felt quite certain. He stooped down over the form of the prostrate janizary, to ascertain if possible the extent of his in- juries, and obtain some information from him. But Wilkinson’s head was not hard enough to stand with impunity such a crack as it had had upon the hard He lay like a log of wood. | Finding there was no chance of doing as he desired, and not wishing to delay in reaching the ‘*‘ Black Lion,”’ he rose and left him to his fate. But the thought occurring to him that he was unarmed, and that circumstances might arise when the possession of weapons would be of the utmost importance to hiin, he stooped down to ascertain what his foe carricd. In his capacious coat-pockets he found a brace of pistols, primed and loaded. At his girdle a belt carrying a hanger. Of these he possessed himself, as well as of a formid- able-looking clasp-knife, which had a spring in the back to keep the blade from closing. The stout oaken cudgel, or bludgeon, he thought it hardly worth while to encumber himsclf with. To do all this occupied scarcely two minutes, and he then set off at a run down the street. Temple-bar was quickly passed, and the open space in the Strand, called Picket-place, in which St. Clemont Dane’s church is situated, gained. Keeping thechurch-railings on his left hand he shaped his course inastraight line to the bottom of Wych-street. But in his progress he suddenly trod upon something soft and slippery, and although he strived to regain his footing, he was precipitated to the ground. An execration came from his lips at this untoward incident. He was soon up again, but in assisting himself to rise, he pnt his hand into some cold, sticky substance auch sent an involuntary shudder through his whole ody. Full of curiosity to know what it was, and yet having a pretty good idea, he held up his hand to look. Just where he stood there was rather more light than in other places, which may be accounted for by the buildings being further apart from each other than they are in the streets. The new day was coming, and the sky overhead wore a dull, leaden tinge. But it shed some faint amount of illumination upon the earth. Jack looked at his hand. It was covered with blood. ‘* Just what I thought,” he said; and with his other hand he felt the different parts of his clothes. “Iam covered! What will be thoughtby those whosee mo? Confound it! what can have been the matter ? There’s a good quantity of blood upon the ground,’’ he added, as he looked down. “‘ There’s been a regular fight, I should think, and half a dozen people bled to death !’”’ Jack spoke lightly. How changed would have been the accents of his voice had he but known the real facts of the case—that thie spot upon which hethen stood was where Edgworth Bess had been hemmed in by the Mohawks not an hour before. Perhaps it was as well that he was spared that know- ledge for the present, or it would assuredly have driven him mad. And yet some mysterious influence seemed to be at work—one of those presentiments of coming evil, which all of us must more than once have expericnced, over- shadowed his soul. It was in vain he tried to struggle against the feeling. So far from dissipating it, all he seemed to do was to make its proportions more terrifying and gigantic. Three minutes now, however,atthe most, and he would know the worst. Gladly would hehave ran along Wych-street, but his agitation was too great, and his heart palpitated too quickly for him to be able to do so. Then he reached the housein whieh, although he knew it not, the happiest days of his life had heen spent. It was that of his master, Juliu Roots. ERO RE ON i ee a SEO SO TT RT TE. Ca SSR ep ro SSO PO SIC ah an en pete XS ak ant ne NOOLKS (C (SO) (SO) 5}