Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

TU Sette ap. = a a a taal —_ I ae a a ~ Thus placed, and certainly the positions they had taken up were most admirably suited for their purpose, the two highwaymen waited patiently, listening with the greatest eagerness for any sounds which would indicate a traveller’s approach. At length their patience was rewarded. oo. In the far distance, and at first scarcely distinguisn ble above the wind, which moaned wailingly over the rugged surface of the keath, there arose the taint trampnng ct a horse’s feet. The sound was heard simultaneously by Jack and Blue. skin, but it would never have reachea their eavs ao quickly aa it did bad not their sense of hearing been stretched to the utmost. Blueskin whistled faintly, 2nd Jack responded, after which they were both quite silcnt. At rather a sharp trot came on a single horseman. Vhey cous! soon tell that. Loudor, and louder, and more distinct became the sounds as he drew nearer. That rider little thought aa he eame along who was lying in wait for him. Suddenly, however, he checked his horse’s speed, as thongh in some doukt about the way he ought to take, and this seemed evidenecd by the fact that when he started acain he eame on much more earcfully than before. Then came the hill, which he ascended at a walk. Immovable and silent, the two highwaymen waited for him to approach. Seeing his hesitation, the strange idea erossed Jack’s mind whether he had not reeeived some admouition of his danger. He was neither a stranger to, nor a disbeliever in pre- gentimeuts, and he much wondered whether that which was about to occur had overshadowed his mind. But, let this be as it may, the traveller came slowly up the bill. At length he passed Jack, who prepared for action. Anothcr moment, and he was near enough for Blueskin’s purpose, and he immediately darted ont trom Ins place of ambush. Stand!” he eried, in a veice that rang with many a strange echoes over the vast expanse of heath. “ Stand. eden advance another step it will be at the peril of your by @ t 93 These words had due effect and significance upon the traveller, who halted, and, turning round, prepared te flee. But Jack emerged from his place of concealment, and aecordingly he likewise cried “Stand!” Tam surrounded, then, it seems,” said the traveller, in a lond and undaunted voice; “but I will make a fight of it for all that. Ye villains, fam an hoeuest man, and will not yield that which I have had to labour hard te get without 2 strnegle.” “You had hest make no resistance,” said Blueskin, spurring up to him, and holding one of bis holster-pistols in his hand. ‘‘ Give what money you have about you, and pass on! We do not want to harm you.” J will not submit. Take that!” With great suddenness the traveller drew from the breast of his apparel a pistol, and fired it full at Blueskin. Fora moment the latter believed he was shot, but ere he could recover himself, Jack Sheppard rode elese up to the traveller’s sidc, and seized his arm. But only just in time. The traveller had drawn a second pistol, and waa in the very act of drawing the trigger when Jack seized him, and the position of his arm being altered, the pistcl was dis- charged in the air. Jack had a pistol in his other hand, and pressing it against the traveller, was about to fire, to avenge, as he thought, lis ecomrade’s death, when B'nueskin, heving recovered himself, grasped one of his pistols by the barrel, and struck the traveller a violent blow upon tba head with the butt-end of it. He fell to the ground in a moment, like a heavy wass of inert matter, while the horse, giving one plunge, darted off at ful] gallop down the hill towards London before either Jack or Blueskin could prevent it. * Curse it all!” exclaimed the latter, in an angry roiee, “this is doomed to be an unfortunate affair atter all. That horse wil! surely be stopped by somebody before long, and then, of course, they will know what is the matter.” ——— ae a a BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, ——— “Let us make haste, then,” said Jack. ‘' Wo will rifle hia pockets aud vegone.” *Confound him! J never thought he wonld have been so desperate and handy with his firearms. Whata fool the tuan must_be to peril his life for a few paltry guiness !”’ . Thetwo highwaymen dismounted, and Blneskin stooped over the traveller, while Jack held the horses, whom the firing had rendered very restive. A faint groan from the wounded man came to Blueskin’s ears as he stooped over him; but not heeding it, he com- meneed rifling his pockets. He found very little to reward him for his trouble. There wasa bag of money, but no very great amount he could tell by the weight, even supposing it to be gold, when it was just as likely to be silver. ‘here was a watch with its aj mendages, and a few other personal ornaments of little value, which he took, and that was all. While engaged in making a second and more rigorous search, he heard the loud tramp of many horses’ feet, while at the same moment Jack Sheppard called out, in a voice of alarm— *“Finemies, Jack!” said Blueskin. ‘f Enemies! I have got all there isto take. Slount as quick as you can, and follow me.” Just as he spoke, there was a bricht flash in the dark. ness, suceccded by the report of a pistel, but the person who fired it was too fur off for it to do them any injury. Still it warned them to be speedy, and showed them that they had enemies in their rear, and who were in good earnest beat upon their capture. The two highwaymen, however, sprang lightly and quickly into their saddles, and Blueskin set the example of golng at full speed up the hill. ; Jack Sheppard kept him in view, and followed hard upon lis heels, but we must leave them for a little while, so that we ean turn our attention to their pursuers, and relate who they were, and how it was they came to be so quickly upon their track. To do this, it will be necessary to go back to the pro- eecdings of Jonathan Wild. The reader will, without doubt, remember that the last we saw of him was in company with Lord Donmull, who he had promised to take to Edgworth Bess. But, instead of going upstairs to that bedroom on the seeoud floor, we liave seen how he led his dupe, for such the nobleman to all intents and purposes was, downstairs into the hall, and thence through the often-described tron crating leading down to the subterranean prison beneath his house. What was his purpose will be quickly seen. Upon reaching the bettom of the flight of stone steps, they paused for a moment in that gloomy corridor from which the eells on both sides opened. It was dimly lighted was this corridor by an oil lamp, which hung from the ceiling and cast a flickcriug and un- eertain radiance around it. A cold air was in the plaee, and his lordship involuntarily let his teeth chatter. ** What place is this, Wild?” he asked, and net without some trepidation in the tone in which he spoke. ‘* What plaee is this ?”’ “A part of my mansion, your lordship, and where I keep some of my most valuable possessions.” * But it is like a jail!” You can give it that name if you think proper. IJ have got a name for it myself.” “* What is that ? ”’ ‘Little Newgate.” “Tittle Newgate!” repeated his lordship, musingly, “that is a strange name.” Why so, my lord?” T don’t know—it seems strange. But let us ga away from here ; the air is cold, and I can feel it eold about my heart.” ‘“ Oo you forget your errand P” ‘No; but surely, Wild—surely you do net mean to say that—that ’”’—— “That what, my lord?” a “ That you have immured that por delicate girl in such a place as this?” Jonathan Wild made an imy.tient and affirmative gesture ag he replied— OO SS Pg rn ae — eee > mals _ -_ —— AR a Se I OY a EE TE AS NM CRO SEP Dae ear Go NOOl|KS EO 5}