Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 400: what you’re looking at

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

—_— aati O98 a a a a a a a a TTT GTC S which he could escape would be by using some extraordi-| Ile obeyed the order at once, and, ina little while, he nary excrtions, Away, then, he went, bounding over the roadway like a hunted hare. Blueskin kept well behind him, swinging the whip all the time, and, when he could, administering a cut. Suddenly, however, the man lost his footing, and. with a loud yell, fell with a tremendous splash into a stagnant ditch. " Then Blueskin thought he hed had enough, and he returned to the coach. He found the young girl waiting for him, with ker hands clasped in an agony of terror. “Pear nothing,’ said Dlueskin, “fear nothing. t bave punished the scoundrel in a manner he richly deserves and will not easily forget. Now, tell me, what I ean do for you. I am entirely at your service, and determined not to leave you until I bave seen you disposed in some place of security.” The girl burst into tears. “ Yon are very good,” she said, ‘and very kind. Now am I to recompense you?”’ “ Say nothing at all abont it. Let me assist you into the chaise. There—sit down; you will be more com- fortable now.” As he spoke, Blueskin handed the young girl into the chaise again. «And you,” she said. ‘ What will you do?” “7 will find the coachman. Ho is somewhere close at hand, and he will drive us to London. I shall not leave you until assured that you are in safety.” “You are very kind,” said the young gull, her tears flowing afresh. But Blueskin did not wait to hear what she said. He busied himself in looking for the driver. That he was unhurt, with the exception of such injuries as he might have received in falling from his seat, he felt certain. When he fired, he had aimed at a spot many feet above his head. He had, doubtless, fallen from cowardice merely. Such was the case. Blueskin looked about the spot where he had fallen, but he had disappeared. - Perhaps crawled a little way, and hid himself under the hedge. Raising his shouted — “ Coachman, come this way and drive us to town. If you refuse you area dead man. I will count three, and then, if you do not come towards me, I will fire. One— tivo?’ —— ““Stop—stop! Merey—don’t fire! Don’t. good sir—I am here! Don’t fire!”’ From under the hedge on one side of the road there crawled a human figure, which, when it stood up to its full height, Blueskin recognised as being that of the coachman. Trembling in every limb, he came towards Blueskin, wlio said— “Mount—mount, I say, at once, and drive us to Loudon. I will give you the address presently.” “Oh! yes; very good, sir; oh! yes. I will drive you where you like, bunt spare my life—ch! do spare it.” “Your life is spared,” said Blueskin, “ provided von at once, and without the slightest hesitation, obey all com- mands.” “ T will obey them all, sir.” Mount, then.” The coaechman had been making abortive attempts to asceud to his box while this little dialogue was going cn, but he trembled so excessively that he found it im- possible. Blueskin touched him up with the whip That made a wonderful difference. Ile clambered up somehow when that little incentica was behind him. Then took the reins in his hands. Blueskin, having succeeded so far, tied his own horse to the back of the post-chaise, so that he could run after it. This done, he entered the vehicle himself, and sat down on the seat opposite to that which was occupied by the young girl, and told the coachman to drive on. yoico to its highest pitch, Blueskin lam here, ln BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. recovered from his trepidation, when he found that no harm was intended him if he only drove properly. ** And now,” said Blueskin, after a few minutes’ pause, “now that all is well so far, tell me, if you will, how it is I found you here in the condition I did.” **T will, sir; for at least you have a right to claim that at my hands. Iam the only daughter of poor but honest parents, who died shortly after my birth, leaving mein the wide world alone.” Blueskin was instantly interested. ** As soon as I was able, I began to earn my own living, and continucd to do so up to the present time. I lived at a little village near Hertford, and the means by which I gained my bread was by plaiting straw ready for the use of the manufactory.” Blueskin nodded. “‘T lived in a cottage with a poor family, who all earned their living in the same manner, and with our united gains we were nearly always able to keep ourselves supplied with the necessaries of life. ‘** Tt was our custom always to sit outside the cottage, and as we worked we could see the passengers and vehicles pass by. ‘One day, about a week since, two gentlemen, mounted upon horses of beautiful form, paused before the cottage, for what purpose I don’t know. ‘TI had seen them both before. One was the squire of the manor, and the other was his confidential attendant or companion, Colonel ——~. I forget his naine. “* Something was said by these two horsemen, but what it was I was too far off to hear. However, the colonel pointed either to me or the eottage and made a remark, to which the squire assented, and then both of them rode away. The girl paused, but Blueskin did not offer to interrupt her. He wished to hear how this incident was connected with the abduction. ‘*T did not see them again; but to-night, just as it was getting dusk, I was standing at the little garden gate, looking up aud down the road, for I had finished my day’s work, “ Suddenly I saw a cloud of dust, betokening the ap- proach of some vehicle. On it came, and then I saw it was a post-chaise—the very one, iudecd, in which wo are now sitting.” ‘*T understand.” “But judge of my surprise when, instead of continuing on its way, the post-chaise suddenly stopped before the ate. “The door was suddenly flung open, and a man sprang out. ‘“ He had something black in his hand. ‘© Tt was the black searf which you found tied over my. mouth. “ With creat dexterity and swiftness he flung this over my head, and (how I can scarcely tell you) lifted me from my feet and placed me in the chaise, which was imme- diately set in rapid motion. ‘¢T had no chance to scream. Indeed, I almost fainted at the suddenness with which everything occurred, and when I was more recovered, the scarf was twisted over my mouth in such a manner that to ery out was an 1m- possibility. © But, quick as he was, I recognised the person who liad made me prisoner. It was the squire’s companion, the colonel. “Tn a little while he spoke to me, and told me that he was taking me to some one who loved me, and who would make me the happiest being on the face of the earth, and more to the same end. ‘ But I doubted him. A thousand vague fears sprang 1p in my mind, and I struggled desperately to get free. “ Finding that I would not be pacified, he bound me in the manner in which you found me, and then indeed I felt truly helpless and resigned myself to my fate. ‘Tt was soon after this that I heard you ery out, and I made a desperate attempt to speak loud enough to attract your attention. Fortunately, you heard me.” ‘¢ T did, and thought it rey duty to interfere.” ‘‘ HTeaven bless you for it! for you have been the means - of saving me from a fate I tremble at.” The young girl coased. Such was the narrative she poured into Blueskin’s eara, (C(O) NG (0) C SS} o(CO) >