Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

- Ss < 1, @ i Vis YY f fess ’ 4 y 2 = 7 , fers) tt ‘46 Me, opi: vagy / WY OD vee "yt fh iif SS ‘=s 2S 2 2 Ny RSS Ne 845 ANY ae oo z. a Lg) Zs A A: Y yf j : é ' eat Sy Zo fo an AY gp / MY Wy Z | < an Z ra m= . oe 3 e yi 1 NY, 2 se |THE{THREE FUGITIVES MAKB ANOTHER EFFORT TO ESCAPE. | taking place in the body of the cathedral, and take our | measures accordingly.” ** Just so.” * Come on, then.” Once more, with Blueskin leading the way, they directed their course to the flight of broad stone steps | leading up to the door which formed the principal entrance to the vaults. | They glanced eagerly through the grating. Their worst suspicions were realized. | A scene of the greatest confusion was taking place iu the body of the cathedral, and conspicuously above all, was the form of Jonathan Wild. He had a number of men with him. The thief-taker was gesticulating furiously, and it was evident he was on their track, and about to thoroughly search the huge edifice. This was enough. More our friends did not want to see. _All they had to do now was to make the best of their | ‘ime, and find some means of exit from the vaults. yo c No. 44. But where was that exit to be fonnd? Into what place could they hope to emerge? That time must determine. The passage certainly went no further than the steps ‘upon which they stood. They had no choice of routes. They must keep straight on in the direction they had at firet taken, namely, towards that spot from which they had had to return in consequence of the foulness of the ! atmosphere. With many misgivings the lamp was again lighted, and they took their way along the gloomy and pestiferous passage. Suddenly, however, there came to their ears, though in a subdued and mufiled fashion, as though at a great dis- tance, the sound of some heavy blows struck against a hollow substance. This added a fresh impulse ts their speed. But the taper gave them great anxiety, for it seemed next to an impossibility to keep it alight, owing to the speed they were obliged to make. eA OREO EE ET ET I IT ERE TE TS a IE COmiIcboooks (SO)