Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

Without waiting to listen to the excuses of this man, Blueskin, with Sheppard at his heels, crossed the passage and ascended the stairs. He paused at the same door that he had stopped at upon a former occasion. He tapped gently. Then listened for some sound from within. _ A growling snar] reached their ears, and Lake opened the door and entered. Just in the same position by the fireside as when Jack was first introduced to him sat the redoubtable thief- talker. * Back safe again, Blue, eh?” © Yes, Mr. Wild.” ‘© And young Sheppard ? ” © Yes, here he is.” “Ha! Success?” *€ Only partial.” © How’s that, Blue, eh ?” The reader will perceive Jonathan treated his lieutenant with greater civility than he did his myrmidoms. “We had a desperate job, and got the plate all right ; but, although I searched the iron box beneath the bed thoroughly, not a trace of the paper you want could I find.” Whatever paper this was, or whatever it might contain, it was evidently very important to Wild, and he was much disturbed at not obtaining it, if one may judge by the manner in which he sprung to his feet and walked up and down the room. ‘““We must not give it up, Blue. existence, I am confident of that.” ‘* Tt is not in his strong box.” “* Be it where it will, | must have it. all the plate ?” ee All.” “Then the expedition has not been altogether profit- less. But we will speak further of this in the morning. In the meantime, be off, I want to have a little private conversation with friend John here. Ha! ha!” The paper is in Did you carry off CHAPTER XXXVI. JONATHAN WILD PROVES TOO MANY FOR JACK SHEP. PARD. Wuicn of the two, Blueskin or Jack Sheppard, was most astonished at hearing these words from Jonathan Wild it would be hard to say, and why he should finish with that short,disagreeable, spasmodic kind of laugh, they were at a loss to imagine. However, Blueskin took the hint to As soon as he had left the room underwent a considerable change. He thought that on the present occasion it would be his best policy to be civil with Jack. Tt was a great effort for him to be civil to anybody. “Draw your chair closer up to the fire, Jack,” he said, ‘and pour yourself out a glass. I want to have a little valk with you. Should you like a pipe?” ** No, thank you,” said Jack, more and more amazed at the thief.taker’s condescension. ‘‘ I never smoke.” ** Don’t you, indeed? Well, fill up a glass.” Jack did so, and then just putting it to his lips he re- placed it on the table, for he was all impatience to hear what Jonathan had to say. Wild took about half-a-dozen whiffs at his pipe before he spoke. Jack,” he then said, “I have formed the highest opinion of you, my boy; I think we shal] get on very well together.” He paused, evidently expecting a reply, but Jack was quite at a loss how to answer him, so he merely rodded his head. “There is only this. You must work with me; as soon as ever you set yourself up in opposition, down you “* It’s true, my own safety requires it, and when that is the case I never scruple much about what I do. Many and many a promising youth has come to grief by that very thing.” wie themselves ap in opposition to you, Mr. } O. f onathan’s manner ‘Exactly. Now I hope, Jack, for I have taken the greatest fancy to you, that you will never do anything so foolish, because if you were, in spite of my regard, you would share the same fate.” ‘* And that fate ’?——~ ** Ig a hempen collar at Tyburn.” Jack fidgetted about in his chair. The conversation was taking a disagreeable turn, and he began to ask himself whether Jonathan knew anything of his proceedings with his lordship and the shroudmaker, and whether he would call that setting himself up in opposition. Wild's next words confirmed his worst fears. Now, Jack, you went last night, or rather, to speak more correctly, the night before last, along with Blueskin to crack a crib at Kilburn, and you've got back safe. Now what I want more particularly to know is how you and where you passed the time after you left here, and meeting with Blueskin at the ‘ Black Lion ?’ ” “Oh! no how. Just waiting about, that’s all.” “Just waiting about. Oh! indeed, Jack! Now, for your own good, I’d advise you to be careful what you say, and candid, too, or it may be the worse for you.” He did not know how it was exactly, but somehow, Jack felt the greatest repugnance to tell Wild anything about the fair shroudmaker. He could not help fancying that he saw in Jonathan one of those who would keep her from her rights. He wished for an opportunity of speaking to Blueskin upon the subject, so as to be guided by hin, but there was no means by which he could get to speak to him. Jack was terribly uneasy, not on account of himself, but upon that of the young girl he had so soon learned to ove. The harsh tones of Jonathan Wild broke in upon his meditations. ‘And while you were waiting about, did you go any- where ?” “Oh! ves!” said Jack, with a great effort, “ I went to several places.” ‘Did you? Can you tell me some of them ?” ** No, not at this moment.” “Then I will refresh your memory a little, Jack, my boy; wasn’t one of the places you went into a public- house in Middle-row, Holborn ?”’ Jack started. ‘* How in the world,” he asked himself, “could Jonathan have learned that he went in there ?” ** Wasn’t the public-house in Middle-row, Holborn, one of the places you waited at, eh ?”’ asked Wild, in a louder tone of voice. ‘“‘ Why don’t you answer me, eh?” *“* I was trying to recollect.” * 'Ya-ah!” ** And now [I call it to mind, I did goin there and wait, I think.” * You think you did?” ce Yes.” “So dol. Now when you went in, who was it that you saw sitting at the table by the window ?”’ ““That’s just what I want to know, and mean to find out,” said Jack. “Ha! ha!” “Of course I can see plainly enough you have, by some means or other, learned all that has taken place, so it’s nonsense for me to attempt to deny it.” ‘Bravo, Jack! Now look here.” Jonathan produced his greasy leathern pocket-book, and took from it a bank-note, which he handed to Jack. ‘That's for yourself, my boy! Put it into your pocket.” ** No,” said Jack, ‘before I do that I should like to know what I am to do in return for having it.”’ Jonathan shut one eye, a favourite action of his when he saw people appear to be cunning. ““You are a clever chap, Jack, a very shrewd, clever chap. You are quite correct in supposing that I want you to do something for which that note will be payment.”’ ‘Then, if that’s the case,” said Sheppard, as he tossed the piece of paper across the table, “‘ you had better not pay me until I have done it. Pay beforehand is the worst pay of all.” Jonathan scowled; but for all that, he forced one of those short laughs of his from his lips. ‘‘Snarp youth! Well, now, to go back again, you over- heard at this public-house a plot, between two persons, te abduct a young girl.” AMUUC DOO 5}