Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 282: what you’re looking at

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

4B 2M ct SBR, anal Ai Dig A Ce a ay a ee Geer pb), Ail. 5 eae eM ae nie te Sa Gres Sa eee, SE, Ey lp Va ie FSI RE STL TED FW” RENE RS ma natal AA BY Ce AeA hatin Wael, a 3a0 CHAPTER CXCY. JACK SHEPPARD PURCHASES A BILL CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS ESCAPE FROM NEWGATE. Over the hard uneven ground, taking their course in as direct a line as possible, running as fast as their fatigued limbs and bruised bodies would allow them, went our three friends. From timo to time they looked back, but they could see no traces of their pursuers. Gradually their speed abgted, and at length their run became a walk, but not until London was in sight in the distance. ‘Now, Blueskin,” said Jack, ‘‘ what do you say abont our separating. For one, I must have rest, for I am com- pletely knocked up.” ‘What do you think, Johnson ?” ‘‘T think to separate wonld be the wisest plan.” ‘6 Good, then it shal! be done.” ‘Where shall we meet, for I fancy neither of us can tell where he will go.” ‘You won’t want me in the business at all, shall you?” asked Johnson. ‘No, my friend,” returned Jack, “I do not know that we shall. I hope, however, you will believe how much I feel indebted to you for what you have done in my behalf. You have proved yourself a true friend to me.” “Dou’t talk about that, Jack—it’s nothing, only I would do anything to oblige you and Blueskin there, and I know very well if I was to get into trouble you would not stick at a little to get me out.” ‘You ere right enough there, Johnson, and I think you have exposed yourself quite enough for my sake, aud I don’t intend to be the means of getting you into trouble by being seen with you again.” ‘* Nonsense.” ‘But I say it. Blueskin.” ‘© What, Jack?” ‘We havea great deal to do before onr ends will be accomplished ; but do not despair. I trust we shall yet succeed. I have every hope of it, eventually. Now we will separate. Where shall we meet?” ‘T leave that to you. Fix the place yourself.” “No, no. You.” ‘Well then, I should say the best place would be at the foot of King Charles’s statue at Charing-cross.”’ “Why there?” ‘‘ Because it is an unlikely place for us to repair to, and not only that, we should not be surrounded very easily.” ‘Well then, King Charles’s statue be it then. At what time ?” ¢¢ an.’ “Will that be late enough ?” “< Say eleven; the streets will be sure to ve empty ‘It will be safer; and if inthe meantime, Blueskin, you can learn anything about Edgworth Bess, pray do so. Tell me all you can about her.” “Twill; but at present I believe she is tolerably safe. She is in Jonathan’s power, it is true, but he seems to have abandoned his idea of harming her—at least, she is very ill. Steggs is there, and he will watch over and protect her, rest assured.” ‘T shall wait and long for night. Look, already in the east I can seea faint light which shows that the new day is close athand. We have no time to lose. I will finda safe refuge ani do you the same.” Farewells were thea exchanged and all three separated, yet each took the way to London. At first, the distance between them was but trifling, but it soon increased, until they were no longer visible to each other. It was just about sunrise when Jack fairly reacued London. The inhabitants of the huge city were not yet asur, and he hurried through the streets at the top of his speed. It was at the north-western part that Jack entered London. Suddenly a thought struck him. {ie thrust his hands in a moment into his pocket. Ife had no money. _ This was a senous dilemms, Had he thought of it eariier, Blueskin would have sup- | I OE Se es ee BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, en a CY plied him, doubtless, but that was not to be thought of now. ‘* 1 must have money from somewhere,” he muttered : *‘ that is quite certain, but where?” That was the qnestion. He looked about him. As yet he was upon the outskirts of the town. ‘* Some one must pay toll,” he said, “‘there is no help for it. The first one that passes me will have to stand and deliver.” He turned round a corner as he spoke. In the distance he saw some one approaching. Who he did not care to inquire, but walked on uncon- cernedly tomeet him until, being quite close, he raised one of his pistols, and said, in a firm voice— ** Cry out, and you are a dead man!” The man stopped in a moment, and the ery to which he had half given utterance faded away upon his lips. Jack held the pistol within an inch of his face. He could almost see down the barrel. ** Quick,” continued Sheppard ; ‘your money—hand it over. Your money, I say!’ “ What—what!”’ said the person addressed, who was & stout, middle-aged gentleman. ‘‘ Robbed in broad daylight by a boy! Nonsense—nonsense !”’ “Do not trifle with me,” said Jack, getting irritated. *“T am in earnest, and if you value your life you will do as I desire, for 1 should think no more of shooting you than I should of shooting yonder sparrow.” “God bless me,” said the gentleman, “ what a horrid little villa. However, there is nobody in sight, so I suppose I must. Here, take that.” A purse was handed, which Jack took in a moment, and finding it to be tolerably well filled, he darted off with jt in a moment, leaving the old gentleman quite confused and astounded in the middle of the road. * He set up an outery at last; but by that time Jack was out of sight. In a little while Jack got to the Tottenham-court-road, and down this he went towards St. Giles’s. At that time only a few bouses were built in the Totten- ham-court-road; but to the left, towards the lower part of it, were several little streets, and turning down one of these Jack stopped at a little public-house, where they were just putting up the shutters. He went in and obtained a bed, and here he slept until about six o'clock the following evening. He then rose, and it being quite dark he went out into the street with the intention of finding a shop where he could purchase a new suit of apparel. In his present attire he considered he should run great risk of being recognised. Keeping carefully in the shadow of the houses, he stole down High-street, St. Giles’s, then as now, rather celeby ated for shops where second-hand clothing is sold. He stopped before one of these houses at the corner of Dudley-street. It was dark, but yet not dark enough to light the lamps, and this was all the better for Jack, for he by no means wished to be seen. He stepped inside this shop, and looked out a suit of really beautiful clothes. They were rather faded and worn, but not particularly so. They had evidently at one time formed part of the wardrebe of one of the young bloods upon town. They eteased Jack vastly, and after a good deal of hagglirg and chaffering, he bought them of the man for about twice as much as they were really worth. He found upon inquiry that he could change them in a room at the back of tho shop, and accordingly retired to do sa. In a little while, for he took great pains with his toilette, he emerged so completely metamorphosed that the man in the shop did not know him. This pleased Jack vastly, and he liked his new clothes, which became him exceedingly well. On emerging into the street, he looked up and down uncertain which way to turn. A crowd of people about halfway down Dudley-street attracted his attention, and he made his way towards it at once, for he was curious respecting it. : Had he been asked, he could have given a tolerable idea of what the crowd was collected for. NOR Ee eR ge EESETT Sat = (C(O) NG (0) C SS o(CO) >