Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

: BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. - “Phere i is no place for miles so favourable for our pur- pose ag thiais. Se we will stay here. Halt!” Jack stopped. “Keep your horse as quiet as you can. We shafl be sure not to have to wait long before we hear some one coming.” The friends now backed their horses as far as they could into the shade and waited. Advantage was taken of this opportunity to look to the priming of their pistols, for then, when the percus- sion cap was unknown, they required constant attention. On this occasion, Jack perceived that the jolting in riding had shaken the powder out of the pans of the brace he carried in his coat- pocket, so that had he rebed upon them in any emergency they would have failed him. This, however, he soon remedied, and then he waited with considerable impatience to hear some one approach. For a long time their patience was unrewarded. No one came. At last, Jack grew quite tired, and wonld have moved, but, just at that moment, Blueskin held up his hand in an attitude for silence. ‘6 What is it?’ asked Jack, in a whisper. ‘¢ Silence for a moment, while IT listen. faintly the beat of horses’ hoofs.” Jack strained his seuse of hearing to the utmost, and then found he was just able to catch a sound, which cer- tainly seemed to be what his comrade said it was. ‘“Tt is at an immense distance, and your ears must have been uncommonly acute for them to have distin- guished it so soon.’ ‘Sharp sense of hearing,” replied Blueskin, “is an essential requisite for every true knight of the road, and itiga faculty you should cultivate to the utmost. Hark, again. ee did so, and this time the clattering of iron-bound hoofs upon the hard road reached him more unequi- vocally. ‘s There are two of them,” continued Blueskin, “and they are coming ata slashing pace. Draw more on oue side and listen. Be on the look out when they approach, and as soon as I give the signal pounce out upon them, and, in as lond and stern a voice as you can assume, com- mand them to deliver their money or their lives. Now, silence till they come.’ Both drew now as close to the hedgerow as they possibly could, and it would have needed a very sharp eye to have distinguished them from the different objects by which they were surrounded. But now a circumstance occurred which tended to change the current of Blake's intentions. As the beating of the horses’ feet became more percep- tible, he heard mingled with it those of other horses, as well as the erinding of wheels. This seemed to point out that those whose approach he had first heard were merely outniders. If this was so, his prey would be in the interior of the carriage. A few minutes though, he felt, would setall at rest, and he would be prepared to act either way. He dcemed it no more than prudent, though, to let Jack know by a hasty whisper what he suspected. At that time it was by no meaus au unusual thing for people to travel with an escort, for the roads were most uusafe. Only those, however, who occupied high positions in the social scale, or who earried about with them valuable articles were thus attended, for it very materially m- creased the expenses of the journey. The risk of stopping such travellers would, of eourse, be very great, but then the booty to be acquired would tose it worth their while. [t was from the direction of London that the sounds caine, The outriders, for snch they were, reached the dark bit ef yoad where our friends lay in ambush. They were talking together in a loud voice, but they swept by too quickly for them to catch the purport. of their words. Blueskin made not the least attempt to molest them. te would have gained nothing by it. They were doubtless galloping on to reach the next I heard very 32 town where relays could be had, for there was every wmdi- cation that it was an express journey. re as they passed, the lamps of the carriage came in sight. At first they looked like two twin tiny stars in the in- tense darkness. As they grew nearer, their size and brilliancy rapidly increased until the trees by the roadside could be dis- tinguished. *“Now, Jack,” whispered Blueskin, “ for a desperate resistance.” ** Do you expect it?” “Tt is best to be prepared in ease.’ Jack gathered the reius firmly in his left -hand, and grasped one of the holster pistols in his right, setting his taeth hard at the same time, It was the first adventure on the highway that he had ever had, and he naturally felt a little nervous and excited. Blueskin, however, was coo] and prepared. He was an old hand at the business. He was able to perceive, though Jack was not, that the approaching vehicle was a post-chaise, drawn by four horses, and having two postilions. The "speed they were coming at was something frightful. Indeed, be half thought the horses had taken fright and run away. And, indeed, the only thing which seemed to convince him that such was not the case was, that above all other sounds, he could hear the loud cracking of the postilons’ whips, as they strove to urge the cattle to make still greater speed. What to think of this headlong haste he knew not, but it must have been something of no ordinary import to make them run the anutlet, : as they did, of the perils of the road. But why they travelled post was a thing that Blueskin did not choose to trouble his head about. He resolved to stop them, be the consequences what they might. All he hoped was that he would obtain booty sufficient to repay him tor his trouble. When the two leading horses in the post-chaise were on a level with him, Blueskin gave the word to Jack, and then giving his own steed a sudden impulse forward, caught hold of the rear one by the bridle. At the same moment he cried out to halt, and fired his pistol so close to the postilion’s head, that he rolled off his horse into the road, firmly persuaded that he was bit. But not heeding ‘his cries, Blueskiu tightened the hold be had upon the bridle, and forced the horses round until the post-chaise was turned quite across the road, and in such a position that further progress was im possible. The horses kicked and plunged violently, but Blake called out to Jack to cut the traces, which he immediately did by the aid of the sword which he wore, and the liberated horses dashed off along the road as though possessed by demons. So quickly, too, was all this performed, that the inmates of tue chaise had uot time to recover from their surprise. But just as Blueskin reached the door, the window was let down with a sudden crash, and a man asked, with an oath, what was the matter. “Guard the door there, Jack!” cried Blueskin, in such loud tones as to immediately arrest attention. ‘* You, my men, be on the watch, aud be prepared to fire the moment I give the word.” ‘“ Murder!” said the voice at the carriage window, as he drew in his head. ‘* Murder!” “You may rely upon it it will be without you compty with my demands, and that at once. Your money, watches, rings, and whatever other valuables you may have with you. You will find it best not to delay.” He rode quite clase to the window of the post-chaise as he spoke, and, resting the barrel of his pistol upon the ledge of it, bent his head and took as good a look as he could at the interior. But even as he did so, lis ears caught the sound of the approach of some other vehicle from the direction of London. This warned him to be speedy. The inmates of the chaise were an elderly man and a female, who, as far as could be judged by her general appearance and contour, was by no means so old. prepare yourself COmiicloooe C SS} 5(CO) >