Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 335: what you’re looking at

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

I TC TS I DEI LTE TE PEI LE IEL OL LOE ELDR, SEOEE SLEDOE AC SAID IE LEAD basin, sacar iaaat BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, € Why not ?”’ ‘This is the first floor, and down them stairs takes you into the hall in which are Jonathan’s men.” “The devil! Then how are we to reach the yard ?” ‘¢T’ll show you, but don’t speak a word more than you are obliged, and always in the lowest possible whisper, for fear we should be overheard.” ' ‘¢ All right; but show us how to reach the yard.” ° TT will. Just on your mght hand there is a door; knock at it very quietly.” Bess executed the order. In the profound darkness that was upon the landing. place, Edgworth Bess would never have been able to see the door alluded to, only within the room into which it opened was a light, and as the door fitted badly in its frame, a line of light could be seen running completely round it. With this for a guide, Edgworth Bess easily found the door, and she tapped lightly upon the panel of it, accord- ing to the landlord’s direction. Ihe other three stood close beside her, and waited for their summons to be responded to. ‘* T’l] speak as soon as they open the door. You will find it all right.” ‘We will trust you so far.” A step conld now be heard approaching, and the next moment the door was flung open. A woman appeared upon the threshold. She carried a lighted candle in her hand. She looked rather alarmed when she saw so large a party, and seemed very much inclined to scream. Probably she would have done so had not the familiar tones of the landlord’s voice struck upon her ear, and then she surmised that all was well. “It’s all right, Mrs. Perry,” said the landlord, in a very low voiee. ‘‘ Let me and my friends come into your room, and we will tell you what we want.” The woman addressed as Mrs. Perry, and who occupied the first-floor back, made no demur to this, but stepped aside and allowed the little party to enter. Edgworth Bess closed the door in a moment, and stood with her back towards it, and then Mrs. Perry discovered that the landlord was held as a prisoner. Before, however, she could make any remark upon the subject, the landlord spoke, and from what he said it appeared very clear that he meant to keep faith with our friends, “This ig no time for explanations, Mrs. Perry,’ he said; “I will, though, tell you all by-and-bye. In the meantime, take my word for it that everything is quite right and proper. Time is precious. We don’t want your help?in any way that I know of, so long as you do not obstruct us.” The woman made no reply to this, but stood stock still with her eyes wide open with astonishment, until at length, her astonishment increasing the longer she re- flected and the more she saw, her limbs refused to any longer support her, and she dropped down upon a chair, which providentially happened to be behind her. In the meanwhile the landlord proceeded to explain his intentions, not by speech but actions, and our friends soon cuperehended by what means they were to reach the yard. They were simple enough. CHAPTER CCXXXI. REVERTS TO THE ACTIONS OF JONATHAN WILD AFTER HE FELL OFF THE ROOF-TOPS INTO THE WATER-TANKE. As we have before stated, Mrs. Perry occupied that room which was always designated as the first-floor back. ¥rom this our readers will be at no loss to know its exact position in the house, and therefore further eypla- nation would be unnecessary~ Since the landlord spoke, Blueskin and Jack released their hold, and the latter also restored his pistol to his pee because, whatever doubts he might have had about is good faith, they were now completely dissipated. The landlord then walked straight to the window of the room, which, of course, looked ont into the yard. Slowly, and as noiselessly as possible, he opened it. He would not have accomplished that feat so silently as he did if the window had been constructed as most 333 This opened like a folding door, as attic windows are sometimes made to do. ae soon as this was done, he turned to Jack and whig- pered— “You will be able to do more than I thought. Well, I am glad of it. You will escape from your foes easy enourh.”’ ‘That is good news. How shall we do it?” “Well, down there is the yard. It is not above ten feet below us, and I should think one of you could drop into it easily enough.” “Yes, but” “Stop a minute. I know what you were going to say, but just wait until I have done, and then you will be spared the necessity of speaking.” ** Go on, then.” “* One of you will be able to drop it.” “Oh! yes, easy enough. If itis no lower down than you say, it could be dropped easily enough.” ‘Very well, that’s what I thought. Now one of you had better do it as speedily as may be. When you get down in the yard, look about you and you will sce a ladder”’ All right!” cried Jack, “I understand. Tl go.” ** Stop—stop. Hear me out.” ** T know what you’re going to say.” “No, yon don’t. Be quiet.” “* What is it, then?” ** By the aid of this ladder the other two will be able to get down easily enough, won't they?” Very good. Now do yon see that wall opposite ? ” “Yes; butit’s as much as I can do.” *“Never mind, so that you do see it. Do you know what place that is that’s on the other side of it?” ‘*No. What is it?” “‘Newgate-market. Now do you understand? When you are in the yard, put that ladder up against the wall, and get over it. You will then have only yourselves to blame if you do not escape this time.” “Thanks,” said Blueskin. ‘‘ Thanks to you, we shall indeed be free. Bess, give him the ten guineas; and, landlord, I'll tell you what you shall do. Call, the day after to-morrow, at Tumposki’s, the Jew’s, in Little Karl- street, Seven Dials, and he will give you fifty guineas on my account, 80 you won’t be a loser by this night’s work.” The eyes of the lodging-honse keeper glistened when he heard these words. He was avaricious, but it was poverty that made bim so. “Do you really mean that?’ he asked, not able to believe his own ears. “I do, and if you will recollect the place, and call at the time appointed, you will receive the money all right enough.” “hen J am sorry I did not help you at first.” “Never mind that now. It’s too late to regret. It’s a good job things are noworse. You see you will get more than twice as much ag you could have hoped to receive even if Jonathan’s men had acted square with you, which they certainly would not.” ‘© T’ll come, and I'll take care you are not seen. You quite understand what I mean.” “Quite. Ionly hope Jonathan has not been cunning enough to post some of his men in the Market.” ‘“T don’t think he has done so, though he has posted them all about the street, so as to pounce upon you the moment you make your appearance, so it will be neccssary for you to be very careful.” ** Trust to us.” At this moment Edgworth Bess, who had continued standing with her back to the door, gave a slight cry of arm. She ran towards the window at which her two pro- tectors stood. “ What is the matter?” they asked. Quick! oh! quick. Be quick!” “ What did you hear ?” ; “ Some one, or some ones, are creeping stealthily up the stairs. I could not hear their footsteps, but only the rustling of their clothes.” s “Ha! then Quilt and his men have grown suspicious of my long absence. You have no time to lose. Perhaps in another moment they will attack us. Who is going to La | » Windows are now-a-days, that is to say, to rise ina sash, | drop into the yard?” 6 5 Sn rer EY e-PRO. CONMUC CS (CO) DOO