Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

F SE =e —, Ria SPs SS — WNT a At ‘ —— | TC AT Se | Re OS mre a et Se SS, Ss er TEE Dl Se OE. ST GAY ARR 2 eee Steet ee - et ih aa oe = € these they unmasked, and held in their left hands. In their right they grasped their swords. Lhe broad beams of light which passed through the lenses enabled them to see their adversaries distinctly, whils they themselves remained invisible, for the bright light, falling on the faces of the pirates, dazzled them, and made them unable to see plainly. In spite of the commands of their chief, they did not fight with that valiancy which one would have oxpected from men who had for so long a time succeeded in maxing themselves a terror to others. A panic had taken possession of them. When this igs the case it is vain for the commander to hope for victory. Jonathan’s men, on the contrary, animated by the actions of their leader, and encouraged to do their utmost for the reward they wonld gain, fought with the greatest fury. The pirates gave ground. Captain Howlet, with such a feeling of ungovernable rage at his heart as to defy all power of depiction, strove to rally them. But it was of no avail. The retrograde movement had been commenced. They could not stop. Back—back, foot by foot, they went down the narrow passage leading to the large cavern. The din of the conflict in that confined space was really terrific. There were oaths, and cries, and shrieks, and fierce words of command. Mingled with these were firing of pistols, and the clashing of swords. Foremost in the fray was Jonathan Wild. ale swung his hanger round his head, and brought it down with a vigour and effect which testified in a very remarkable manner to the immense strength which he possessed. And here he had the advantage of Captain Howlet. He led his own men. ‘This, the latter did not, and could not do, for he held bdg¢worth Bess in his arms. So strong was his passion for her, that he took no part in the fight, save by shouting to his men. He kept in the rear witb his prisoner. Upon reaching the larger cavern, the pirates made a temporary stand. ‘There was a light here, too, which enabled them to see the numbers and position of their adversaries. When they saw how nearly equal they were—that indeed their unexpected foes only out-numbered them by five or s1x—they experienced a momentary return of courage. They began to grow conscious that they were fighting for their lives. Finding that the varions oil lamps placed about the cavern gave a tolerably bright and steady light, Wild’s men threw away the dark lanterns, considering them un- necessary. But Jonathan himself, happening to look in the direo- pee where Captain Howlet stood, caught sight of a female orm, At that moment she struggled desperately, and uttered an ear-picreing shriek, which sounded high above all the dm of the conflict, and echoed with a dreary, melancholy cadence in the off-branching caverns, ‘he face was turned towards him. Jonathan saw it. ‘the shriek that came from the girl’s lips was almost immediately followed by oue of those terrible and un- earthly roars to which at times the thief-taker gave utter- ie when anything occurred which surprised or angered im. This time it expressed surprise. And incredulity ag well. By what extraordinary succession of incidents came Edgworth Bess in the power of Captain Howlet, and an l1umate of the pirates’ caves? He was at a loss to think. He would have fancied it must be a case of mistaken icentity, but he was too familiar with the girt’s features to fall into any mistake of that kind, He did not stop to speculate. Rushing forward with redoubled fury, he esimed his way to whore the pirate captain stood. BLUESKIN : A ROMANCE. To reach him, however, he would have to cut his way through the whole band. But to do this Wild did not shrink. Right and left the pirates fell or gave way before the long sweeping strokes of his terrible weapon, which every time came down with so much force as to make a second blow unnecessary. At last the pirates, one and all, threw down their swords and cried for quarter. Jonathan Wild did not trouble himself to look whether it was granted to them or not, but made his way over a heap of the dead and dying to the captain, who even now would not relinquish his hold of Edgworth Begs, though she struggled most furiously in his arms. But, upon seeing Jonathan approach, he fairly took her up, and ran with her in the direction of the excavation in the side from which the house above could be reached. This place was quite dark. Jonathan, however, did not stop for a light, but shouted to his men to bring one, and follow him. Lhe footsteps of the captain now ceased, and so had the cries of Edgworth Bess. These had hitherto been a guide to him. : In an agony of apprehension, lest, after all, the girl should escape, he dashed forward, screaming out to his men to bring a light. CHAPTER CL. JONATHAN WILD CHASES CAPTAIN HOWLET, ALIAS COLONE! THORNE, THROUGH THE MANSION, AND OBTAINS POS- SESSION OF EDGWORTIL BESS, JONATHAN, however, encountered no obstacle to his pro- gress, nor could he hear anything but a slight rusthng noise. But his men, with lights in their hauds, now made their way into the lesser cavern, for such it was, in which he stood. It was, he found, of tolerable size, but as be glanced with his eagle eye about it, no trace of Captain Howlet and his prey could be seen. But one of his men happening to glance upward, saw something, to which he called Jonathan’s immediate at- tention. At a considerable distance from the floor of the cavern, and climbing desperately up a rope, with Edgworth Bess in his arms, was the pirate. This was a sight for which all were unprepared. | It was easy to perceive, from the manner in which she hung over his left arm, that the poor girl was insensible. his would account for the cessation of her cries. One would have thought, however, that even though she did not struggle, but hung a dead weight, it was quite impossible to ascend a rope so burdened. But Colonel Thorne was a rather out-of-the-way sort of personage. His gigantic form, and almost superhuman atrength, for it was in keeping with his bulk, has been already reverted to. This was one thing that assisted him. Then another was, that he was a finished sailor. Unlike many captains, there was no duty about ship which he could not perform with dexterity and ease. Chimbiug a rope was one of them—perhaps, the one le could do best. The knots in this rope, too, made a most wondertul difference. But still the feat was one which few would have attempted, and fewer still have been able to carry out. It was, let it be said, with the utmost difficulty that the pirate-chief performed 1t. The repe, as the reader will doubtless recollect, had been cut by Lieutenant Morgan, and the ené of it, instead of reachiug nearly to the floor, as it had done at the time of Edgworth Bess making her descent, now was Just about on a level with a tall man’s head. The cry that came from the lips of all, made the cap- tain aware that he had been discovered; but so far from allowing that to daunt him, it only served aa an incentive to fresh exertions, for all saw that his speed was accele- rated. Jonathan Wild, under the impulse of the moment, drew his pistol when he first saw it. His finger pressed tbe trigger, and in another moment yr > NOOlKKS CO (SO)