Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 356: what you’re looking at

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

le le ei ie EE = os hasten in the direction of the front door of the inn. But before we proceed to relate what took place after his unexpected arrival at the inn, and before we relate how the three fugitives fared under this critical sitnation of things, we feel it to be a necessary duty to go hack, and account for the thief-taker’s inopportune appearance. How he could have found his way there is at present a mystery, but it is one that will soon be cleared up. It will doubtless be recollected that the last time we personally adverted to him was when he went over, from his own domicil, to the eating-house in Giltspur-street. We have casually seen or heard of him several times since then, but that was the last that we said abont his own adventure. . ; We wil! resume, then, at this point, and, in a few words, relate what happened to him afterwards. Having made a hearty meal, and feeling very much better in consequence, he walked back home again. On his return, there was some business which required his immediate attention, and this occupied him some little time. His instructions relative to posting the spies had in the meantime been fully carried out. Men in his employ, who were to be found in almost every part of the metropolis, were furnished with a full and accurate description of the three fugitives, and ordered to keep a careful watch. The business over, then, Jonathan himself, who was restless and uncomfortable, strolled out, in order to see that his instructions had been properly attended to. He was under the conviction, too, that those he sought were not far away, and hiding in some secure place. He had traced them te that end of Warwick-lane which lies nearest to St. Peul’s Churchyard, and there he had lost them. But he was uneasy, for he knew he had missed them somewhere, so, like a sagacious dog who had lost scent of his game, he went to the same spot again, in order to see whether he could find anything to put him on the right track again. Ina moody manner, then, with his hands clasped behind his back and his head bent forward, he walked along Newgate-street to the corner of Warwick-lane. Down this narrow and unsavory thoroughfare he turned, but he reached the other end of it without meeting with anything to recompense him for his trouble. A choice of routes was now spread out before him, and he stood some moments in speculation. He could have turned to the right up Amen-corner. He could have turned to the left up Paternoster-row. Or he could have kept straight on down Ave Maria- fane, and this would have brought him on to Ludgate- il But there was nothing whatever to be seen that in any way served to assist him in his dehberations. Quite by chance, then, for there was nothing else to guide him, he resolved te take this last-mentioned route. Upon emerging on to Ludgate-hill, he turned to the left mm the direction of St. Paul’s. While wondering what place the fugitives were likely to select as offering a good chance of concealing them- selves, he glanced up at the cathedral. But, theugh his gaze rested upon the huge edifice, yet not for one moment did the idea strike him that within that very building were the three persous for whom he soucht. He turned the corner of the churchyard, then, following pretty much the same course he had previously taken when our friends had so narrow an escape of capture at his hands. While walking in this moody manner along the nerth side of the cathedral, with his face turned towards Cheap- side, he suddenly experienced a shock. Looking up to see what had caused it, with a horrible curse upon his lips, he saw that a young girl had run against him, and that she was entangled someliow in his apparel. But, quickly disengaging herself, this young giri gave a bound forwards in the direction of the s.cred edifice. But not before the thief-taker had scea her face. For a moment, so intense was his astonishment, that he stood like one paralyzed. BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. Fe a ee i es so, he saw Wild alight recklessly from his horse, and Then, recovering himself, he placed a small steel whi«cie to his lips, which always hung at his neck, being suspended by a fine chain. He blew it fiercely, and the signal was immediately responded to by the rushing of many feet. hat whistle was the means by which upon any emer- gency he summoned any member of his band who hap- pened to be within hearing of it. _In an incredibly short space of time, then, he found himself surrounded by quite a party of his officers. _He did not utter a single word of explanation, but simply crying, ‘Follow me,” he dashed into the cathe- oral, to the utter dismay of the old verger, who was at the oor. The men kept close to his heels. _ Jonathan winked and blinked when he found himself in the dim obscurity of the cathedral, and strove vainly to find some trace of the heiress, But there was none, . She had disappeared, . But Jonathan was not to be vauiked, nor did the size of the building give him the least uneasiness or despair. Posting one of his men at each of the entrances, he, with the remainder of his band, commenced a rigid search. He also sent off for reinforcements. In every way he behaved more like a madman or a demon than a human being, showing not the slightest peabect for the sacred character of the edifice he was in. _He overturned every movable object that came within his reach, and plunged his sword recklessly and furiously into every crevice and corner that he came to, But it was all to no purpose. All at once he bethought himself of the vaults. No sooner did the idea occur to him than he compelled ie verger to unlock the door and allow him to enter em. Down the steep steps he went at headlong speed. But the vaults beneath St. Paul’s are of a rather ramified character, and it was no easy matter for any one to search them all through. Moreover, there was nothing whatever to guide him as to the proper direction he ought to take. Had he been less violent in motions than he was, he might, to be sure, have heard the slight noise which the fugitives made in excavating the earth. And at least half-a-dozen times Jonathan was within a few yards of where they were at work, and yet each time he took a wrong turning, and missed them. It was not, indeed, until some time after our friends had passed through the opening, that the thief-taker and his gang came upon the spot where they had been at work. They understood all at a glance. There was no longer any trouble about finding the track of the fugitives. There it was, straight before them, and they had nothing to do but to fellow it. Jonathan Wild was the first to rush forward, and scramble through the opening. He had a dark lantern in his hand, and it was a lucky thing for him he had, or he would assuredly have fallen into the cellar. But he descended into it without meeting with any accident, and he began to look carefully about him, while his men one by one crawled through the aperture, and, as they did so, aided him im the search. ~ Of course, it wasa likely enough thing that the fugitives had gexe no further than that cellar, and had hidden themselves therein. At least, Jonathan thought it likely, and, fearful of doubling upon his prey again, he caused a thorough examination to be made of the place. __ But that search, so far from resulting in anything save letting the thief-taker know that those he sought were not there, only took up valuable time, and afferded them increased facilities for escape. This will explain what puzzled Jack somuch. He could not suiceive what had caused the delay. Bvt, as we see, the cause was simple enough. - In this way, then, carefully looking about him as he went, and being rewarded at almost every step by evidences that the fugitives had only lately been that way, Jonathan kept on nutil he reached the shop. ; Here the partially open door leading into the street, let jb know that his prey had been more specdy than ke = —= ce SL SSDS? as Se DSSS San NG IS UNISTS NOOlKKS CO (GO) C >