Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

aan gee Ee ee ** I understand.” “ But in some unaccountable way she disappeared, and since that time I have neither seen nor heard anything of her.” “J cannot think sbe is in Wild’s posseseion.” *¢ But you have no proof of that?” “No; I have no proof, but I have watched his actions.” “ And tho result r” **T capnot think he either has her at his house, or knows where she is.” ‘Ah! well. We must see. afraid, is an inmate of Newgate.” *S Again!” “Yes, again!” “How many times will that make P” “Twice!” ** Then, if I wag him, I should beware of the third.” “Pho! pho! Now, take my advice. Rest yourself and recover your strength, as well az you can. 1 will furnish ae with money. You had beiter stay here, 1 should think. ** Ag you will; but in what way am I to assist you P” That we must consider.”’ “ T have a plan.’’ Have you ge * Yes!’ “Ts it a good one?” Yes!” * Does it stand a fair chance of success P” “1 think so.” ‘* Let me hear it, then.” “It is this.” He spoke a few words in a low tone, What was their import will presently appear, but we cannot now disclosc it. Blueskin looked grave, and then he eaid— ** ] om afraid it is impossible.” ** How sop” ** ] know by experience how hard he is to deceive.” * And I,” said Steggs, ‘“‘ know my powers of deception! At any rate, if I make the trial, no hate can happen te any one save myself.” ‘No; that is true.” “Well, then, I think T ought totryit. Should I suc. ceed youslnow the advantago it will bring.” t will.” * And is it not worth while to rnn a little risk for the accomplishnient of so much ? * It is; and I only hope you will succeed; but you must not think of trying lor a day or so, or, at all events, until you have recovered sour strength somewhat.” ** Leave that to me, Blueskin; | will try my best, for T am with sou body und soul, aud not only thut—I shall be serving your tuterests, aud procuring my own revenge at the sume time.” ‘<The lutter is a powerful inducement, no doubt. But you imust be curetul; the scheme, which you propose is @ most diflicult one indeed, und | ato atruid you will find it impossible.” Still t um willing to run the risk.” *Vhep you think, 1 suppose, vo one ought to interfere. Should you suceeed it will bea greut thing for all of us. 1 shall go vow and procure whiat intelligence 1 can. Do you ip the meantime stay here.” “A little rest will enuble me to recover my strength.” “Len employ that time in maturing your bold and darivg plun. You ought to consider well before you attempt it.” ‘“* } shall do so, never fear. throw my life away.” “Here is mioney, then. J may be some hours before J returo; but do not you, op any uccouut, slir torth. Let me feel sure of tiuding you here.” “ You can rely upou ine.” “Twill leave you, then,” said Biueskin, and us he spoke he set out upou his difficult errand. Jack Sheppard, I am I am not one ready to mss CHAPTER CXLIX. JONATHAN WiZD &TIACKS Tite PIRATES IN "FEI SECRET NAUNi, AND ACHIEVES A VICTODY. JONATHAN WILD could not subdue a certain amount of very natural excitement which he felt npon seeing the door in the rocks which led to the pirates’ cave. BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, He signalled to his men. Some portion of his excitement seamed to have com: muxicated itself to them, for they obeyed with unusual promptitude. The second ladder was raisod. It was fixed ina similar manner to the first, and placed close beside it. The men rushed up both with eager impebuceity: The ladders, of course, were very soon quite full, and they would only hold a small portion of the men. When all was in readiness, Jonathan prepared to give the word to demolish the door. This they were told to do at one blow, if possible, and then they were to rush into tlie caveru as quickly as they could, and wait just inside the entrance until they had been joined by all their companions. But just as he was about to do this, a slight rumbling noise was heard overhead. He held op his hand tor all to be silent. They listened rather anxiously to know what was going to happen. All put themselves in a posture of defence. The next sound they heard, and which followed closely ae the other, was one to which they were all familiar. ized. Some one was unfastening a door. That door was the one through which they wished to pass. Was it possible that they bad arrived at the very moment Bes tae pirates were about to leave their abiding p It might be so, Or was it Uawkins, who, from some piace or other, had observed their approach, aud opened the door to facilitate their entrance ? Jonathan thought the latter the more probable suppo- eition of the two. But for once he was mistaken. He was not, however, in possession of one little fact which the reader is. Uuwking, who Lad so cleverly joined the pirate band, and hit upon so clever a means of couveying the requisite intelligence to Wild, had beer detected in his treachery, aud his hte had puid the forteit. At that very momeut, instcud of busying himself about Jonutban and his afluirs, he wus lying cold and still iv the rudcly-Lollowed grave, into which, by the conimands of Captain Hlowlet, he hud been cust whes he'was cut down. And now the reader will please carry buck lis recol- lection to thut scene in the cavern, when Edgworth Bess huviug with so much courage and difficulty mude ber escupe from her chamber, bad fullen once more into the urins of the mueh-dreaded pirate. Upon muking this discovery, the poor persecuted girl ceused to strugyle, und lupsed into a strange state of seme CULSCIOUSUCSS. Cuptuin ltowlct carried ber into the outer cavern. Then, with appurenut suddenness, he gave the order to his meu to go on Lourd at once. In obedience to this cummiand, they bad hastily got themssIves iu readiness, and Lurried along the pussage which fed to the sceret door in the rocks. ‘The captain bronght up the rear, and when the ex- tsemity wus reached, the door was uulustened. But ere they could opeu it, a loud voice bad cried out in a tane of columand, and the door was flung open in their fuces. ‘Tuen rushed into the cavern a large body of men. ‘These were Jonuthao Wild and his band, who had arrived at this, to them, fortunate juucture. Llad they been a little luter, the pirutes would Lave been uboard their fust-suiling vessel, and there all Lepes of capiuring them would Lave been at an end, As it was, be was just in time. The pirates were tuken completely by surprize. Their ferocious enplasu waa, hewever, tue frst to recover bimselt, and Le shouted to his crew to defend themselves. Betore they could obey him, however, Jonathan lad succceued ip obtiuuing a lodgment. His meno swarmed up atter Lim. ; The place would have been profoundly dark, had it not bean tor the dark lanterns which Wild’s janizaries had 916 | brought with them. Soe OS ey — ae Se ee aed ‘fee ee nO « EO NOOKS (SO) 5}