Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

erence ee I en. eee nA TE cSt, : A ROMANCE. 46 BLUESKIN wheels, and one of thoso crazy old vehicles, the pre- decessors of our modern cab, drew up at the eorner. Ry this time Steggs had managed to regain his feet, and by his instructions “ his lordship ”’ was picked up and put inside the hackney coach. When this was done, and his employer comforcably dis- posed upon the seat, Steggs himself entered, having first acted up ta his word, and given the man who_ had fetched“h< eonveyance the five shillings he had offered him. The ach drove off in the direction of llolborn, for Steggs had instructed the driver to take them to the public-honse in Middle-row, and then the crowd which had assembled, after spending some time in fruitless speculation, dispersed. The httle distance between these two places was soon accomplished. Still insensible, “his lordship’? was enrried in by the driver and Steggs, who though a good deal hurt, was not | seriously so. The landlord recognized his guests again instantly. “Get ready your best bed-room immediately,’ said Steges, “and send for a doctor. myself have been set upon and almost murdered by a gang ot thieves.” ‘** Yes, sir. ‘This way, if you please. “Do you help to carry him, almost as much hurt as he is. him up stairs would be beyond my powers.” ‘“Wallingly, sir,’ replied the landlord. Steggs now carrying in his nght hand a eandle, led the way up the staircase, and on reaching the top by the landlord’s directions opened a door immediately opposite to him. It led into a neatly-furnished chamber, and “his lord- slip’? was laid as carefully as they could upon the bed. i hen turning towards the driver of the coach and putting half-a-guinea into his hand, Steggs said— ‘“* Drive te the nearest surgeon’s and bring him here at enee.”’ * All right, sir,” said Jarvey. as lives just round the corner of Gray’s-inn-lane. he do?” ‘““ Yes—yes. The room is ready,’ said the landlord. Straight upstairs, sir.” ” said Steggs. “‘I am “There’s Doctor Taylor Vill Bring lim at once.” This gentleman and | And I feel that to take | is scarcely possible.” ao LEANED, LB ERE REP OBIE IE DIED ep EER, hy OCT, is, I shall be able to pay him off and punish him fov his interference.” “Wa! Steggs,” cried his lordship, struck by a new thought. ‘‘ His interference ? Why should he interfere ?” ‘* J know not, unless”’ * Unless what ?” ““Unless he managed somehow to overhear our con- versation,.”’ ‘* Tie mnst have done so! Perhaps he knows all— has already told the girl? Oh! Steggs! I am ruined— lost }”’ “Not so, my lord! not so! Yon are in danger— imminent danger of having all discovered, but if we are prompt, we may yet be in time to carry out our purpose. i If you will remember, my lord, 1 have been especially careful not to mention you by name, so that, in all proba- | bility, the meddling young fool isin ignorance of it!” “We will hope so, at any rate!” replied his lordship, much reheved, “and yet he may have recognised meP Who knows? I don’t think he did though, now I come to think.” ‘“‘ Have you any reason for holding that opinion ?” “Only this, Steggs, he looked very curiously at me /when he entered, and regarded me as though I was an utter stranger.” ‘““Why, then all is well. The information he has already acquired will avail him but httle, even supposing -he listened to the whole of our interview, which 1 think ‘“* But what are we f, do, Steggs ?” “Do, my lord ?”’ ‘Yes, do.” ‘Only one thing I concaive, and that ’”>—— “Goon.” “That, my lord, I am afraid we shall find rather difficult.” ‘Tt is to obtain possession of the girl.” “ Precisely.” ‘But how are we to doit? Where is she?” “That, my lord, is the difficulty of which I spoke. Of course I have no more cine to her whereabouts than you have!” His lordship sprung up in bed. “We must find ber, Steggs, we must find her, if we search every house there isin London. Or that which I The hackney coachman, who for once in a way was|heve so simned for to obtaim will, after all, elade my satisfied with his fare, seeing that it was about four | grasp, and”’ times as much as was legally his due, obeyed with willing alacrity. During his absence Steggs busied himself in looking | after his own hurts a httle, but he found that beyond a few rather severe bruises he was all right. He cleansed the dirt from his face, hands, and apparel, and then performed the same office for lis employer. We had searcely finished when the landlord, accom- panied by a tall pale young man entered the room. ‘* Doctor Taylor,” said the former; and then the young man, without uttering a word, gravely took off lis hat and walked to the bedside. The administration of some volatile stimulant caused the nobleman to open his eyes and groan. The first object upon which his gaze rested was his accomplice Steggs, and that seemed to give him the elue to all that had passed. dle had, however, sufficient presence of mind not to make any remark. His lordship’s face was terribly damaged by the blows dack had given it, but when the doctor lad earefully sponged it with warm water there did not seem to be much the matter. “Our enterprize failed, Steggs,”’ said his lordship, as soon as the doctor and the landlord had retired. ‘“ How was it? What fiend mauled me in this way ?” “That, your lordship, is I regret to say more than I ean tell you. The attack was so sudden and unexpeeted that I could not see by whom it was perpetrated.” * But Ll did, Steggs. I did.” “Who was it, my lord?” ““A boy! \ stripling that looked as if he could be knocked down with a reed. It was the same who was sitting in the room down stairs when you entered. “Indeed,” said Steggs, in a tone of voice that boded no ‘ good feeling towards Jack. OP GP-S SE SS FEIT PA ON AY “J am glad I know who it f “Do not look upon it in that light, my lord. Instead of despairing, let us hope! <As yet, a short time only a elapsed. Let us commence our operations without elas “That is good advice, Steggs! good advice! Curse the villain, he has made me so stil and sore that I can hardly move!” ‘And I, my lord! I lavesaid nothing about my hurts, but they are both serious and painful.” “Never mind—nerer mind! I can find you a plaster for every ouc of them.” * You are very good, my lord.” “Only get those two persous into my power, and then you may name your own reward !” The eyes of the villain Steggs glistened with cupidity, as he heard these words. “It is good as doue, my lord! say?’ ec Yes | bie “The girl ?” a “She is one, the other is the fiend that baulked me in my designs, and battered my body !”’ “Do not fear for hnn, my lord. feeling in that matter.” “So much the better! J will make him live to re- member and regret the day he took it into his head to ‘interfere with me! Curse him! I ache trom head to ‘foot !”’ “* Nest satisfied, my lord,” said Steggs, “ you shall have such a revenge upon him as shall fully satisfy you. It galls me to the soul to think an urchin hke that should heve overcome the pair of us!” “He took us by surprise, and that is half the victory.” “True; but his muscles must be hke steel. Hus blows came down like hammers.” “T wonder how long it will be before { can get out. Two persons, did you I have a personal } > See ee § DOO 3} (SO) Cc SS (SO) 5}