Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 270: what you’re looking at

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

? | : | eae Cathe AP? ere PT 868 oe” neti, BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. a ee | gether as large a troop of men as he could, all mounted and armed, and he would place himself at their head and commence a vigorous pursuit of Jack Sheppard Tn the meanwhile he went over into Giltspur-street and made a good meal, which he washed down with plentiful potations of port wine, which he sent for from a cons tiguous public-house. . By the time he had done this, Quilt had managed to assemble a body of men somewhere about filtcen m number. These were all in the pay of the thief-taker. In rursuance of the agreement made between them, Quilt came over and told Wild, who was much the better for the food he had eaten and the wine he bad drunk. He mounted his horse, and no one to have seen him perform the act would have guessed his true condition. The word of command was given to the troop, which immediately put itself in motion. Jonathan led them up Giltspur-street and through Smithfield, into the open country. But leaving the relation of what took place during his journey, and the success he met with to another chapter, we will go back a little, and turn our atteution to a less nepuleh character in our history. Ve allude to Steggs. When we saw him, and left him last, it was asasen tinel before the door of the room in which poor Edgworth Bess was imprisoned. Jonathan Wild had uttered some tempting promises to him, and a struggle took place in his miud as to whether he should accept them or not. Fortunately Steggs already knew Jonathan’s treacher- ous nature. It had been displayed already. Doubtless, had he been siucere in what he said, or if Steggs could have believed him to be sincere, the condi- tion of Edgworth Bess and her two defenders, Blueskin and Jack Sheppard, would have been sad indeed. For a long time Steggs sat and pondered, unable to decide as to which way he should act. He was dazzled by Wild’s promises. They were not unsubstantial ones either, for at that moment he could feel ten guineas in his pocket —the earnest—the first instalment of his future reward. One thing only, perhaps, rose shove his avarice, and that was his revenge. Pcie this he would like to purchase as cheaply as pos- sible. : Bteggs recollected the injuries he had received at Wild’s auds. The desire for revenge increased He felt that it would be a greater satisfaction to witness the downfall of the thief-taker than it would be to witness his elevation. “‘ I will play into his hands,” he said; ‘I cannot do wroug then. I will fall into his views, but it shall be warily! I shall soon find whether he intends to be false to me or not, and J shall know my course.” Having the means of entering the chamber in which Edgworth Bess was confined whenever he thought proper, he longed for an opportunity of communicating what he bad learned from Blueskin, for he with common cunning wished to keep in with both parties, and then side with the one which seemed to offer him the greatest advan- tages. ~ But be dreaded to enter the room while Wild was in the house, or anywhere vear at hand. The thief-taker remained in his office the whole of the day; and it being Saturday night, he was engaged in total- ling up his week’s profits, when the clanging of the alarm bell of Newgate smote upon his ears. He dropped his pen, and then rushed out. Jonathan had left orders that Steggs was to be supplied with food at regular intervals, and 1t was soon after this event that the waiter from the eating-house in Gultspur- street came up with a meal on a tray. This man was, of course, full of Jack’s escape, the ac- eountof which Steggs received without astonishment. In reply to his questions, however, the man told bim that Wild had mounted a horse and set off in pursuit. That he would be absent for some time, and that he}. should hear his return, Steggs felt certain. Here, then, was the opportunity for winch he ‘nad longed. ee, iA i . NE, es eee weer om > El aaa 2 PXersey eS Accordingly, as soon as the waiter took bis departure, he crossed the landing on tip-toe, and tapped at the door. A faint “‘come in” followed, and inserting the skeleton- key in the lock, he turned it in the wards and entered. The poor prisoner started up, and greeted him with a wan smile. Steggs had a heart. That smile touched it. It 1s wonderful what an alteration a little thing will produce. When he saw that smile, Steggs forgot Wild and all his glittering promises; he forgot hig avarice, and the desire to render a service to the poor girl who looked up to him so confidingly, and who believed him to be her friend, rose paramount to every other feeling. ** Tell me, tell me,” she exclaimed, in a feeble voice, “tell me all you know at ounce. This suspense will kill me! Where is Jack?” ‘* Tie has escaped.” A ery of joy, which she could not have suppressed had her life depended upon it, came from her lips. Steggs looked terrified. He was afraid that some one would hear her, and held up his hand. She saw it, and asked, in a suppressed voice— “Ts it—is it true? Can it really be true? Has he escaped P”’ “* Be silent, I beg,’ said Steggs, “‘ for my sake—for your s—for Jack’s!” Ol! yes, I will not cry out again, but I could not eontrol myself before. Answer me! Ob! you cannot tell what I have suffered from suspense during all the weary time which has elapsed since I saw you last. Don’t keep me in that suspense any longer, pray do not, but ease my heart. You told me that he was iu Newgate!” “1 did, and so he was. He has been tried, and cast for death, but he has escaped. I have seen Blueskin.” ‘Have your Whenr” ** Yesterday.” é¢ Well P a> “He told me he had a plan arranged by which he hoped to be able to accomplish Jack’s escape.” ** He is a good friend.” *“ Since then I have not seen or heard anything of him, but I have just iecarned that the plan has been sue- cessful.” ‘Thank heaven!” “Can you hear that bell tolling ?” The loud clanging of the alarm-bell could be beard quite plainly in the chamber. “I do; I have heard it for sometime. What does it mean?” “Tt means that a prisoner has broken out of Newgate, and the prisoner that it tolls for is Jack Sheppard!” Edgworth Bess clasped her hands together and listened. She thought she had never heard such sweet music as that dissonant bell, but soon another thought struck ler, and sbe said— ‘But has he got quite free? Do they pursue him PrP” ** No and yes.” ‘What do you mean by no and yes?” ‘‘He has not got quite free, inasmuch as his foes are hard upon his track, and foremost among those im pursuit is Jonathan Wild.” “Oh! heavens, what am I to suffer from that man! He persecutes me and all who befriends me. I am afraid his malice will only be appeased by death.” ‘Do not be too much alarmed.’ ‘Tere is danger.” “7 admit that, but you must bear in mind that Jack has Blueskin with bim, and that together they have more se once proved themselves a match for the thief: talker.” “True—true.” “Tf they are pursued, it does not follow that they will be captured.” You give me new hopes “T desired to co so, and am elad I have succeeded. «And now listen to me.” **T am listening, my friend.” ‘Strangely enough, Jonathan has selected me from among his other men to place confidence in, and has given me one particular duty to fulfil.” 53 = eS AT Tg ae oom & NOOlKKS CO (SO) AUC