Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

BLUESKIN a = Qqyeerere= e+ ee ce SE “What are you kicking up that ’ere row for?” asked Tom. Wild did not reply, but fixed his eyes upon the door, which, in obedience to his summons, was quickly opened, and Jonathan’s lieutenant, Blueskin, came in. ‘ Hullo!” he said, gruffly. ‘‘ What’s the fly?” *C. 7,” replied Wild. “Oh! ah! allright. Comeon, Tom.” | With a dexterity upon which Blueskin prided himself excessively, he slipped a pair of handcuffs on to Tom’s WTls 6¢ ts. What’s the meaning of this?’’ asked Pinching Tom, who was, for a second or so, too much astounded to speak. “What's your game?” Wild smiled grimly. . “Will you take the hundred pounds, Tommy, or will you pay a visit to Little Newgate ?”’ “‘ Little Newgate?” “ Yes; you’ve heard of such a place, I daresay, Tom,” said Blueskin. ‘‘ Little Newgate! That’s the name for the cellars under Mr. Wild’s house, where he puts any cove that don’t act up to the square.” Will you take the hundred pounds, Tommy ?”’ said Wild, again. “I’m sure you'd better.” ‘*T can’t do it, Mr. Wild, because’? —— Oh! all right, then. Off with him, Blue, to C. 7.” Pinching Tom commenced a violent struggle. He was not exactly the sort of man to lose his liberty without making an effort to retain it. But it availed him nothing. In Blueskin’s grasp he was like a child in the hands of a giant. Jonathan gripped his cudgel and got down off his stool. ‘‘ Stash it! stash it, Tom, or it will be the worse for ou.” ee Give me the hundred pounds, then, and let me be 99 ‘‘Shan’t! Ya-a-ab! You should have had 3+ while I was in the humour! No—no! Let me see, to-day is Monday. Allright. The case is clear against you, and will come on on Friday. Of with him, Blue!” But Tom, who now became fully aware of the perilous situation in which he was, began to struggle as a man only can struggle when he fiuds his life depending upon it. “Take that, then!” said Jonathan, bringing his pet down with great violence upon Tom’s head. “ Take that, and be hanged!” But provident nature had hestowed upou Pinching Tom a thicker skull than it falls to the lot of general humanity to have, so the blow only staggered him. Still it confused his faculties, and made him incapable of offering much resistance. ; Blueskin caught hold of bis arm and led him out into the gloomy passage belonging to Wild’s house. At the extremity of this hall, and opposite the front door, was a strong iron grating. A man stood at it with a key, and when he saw Blue- skin and the prisoner, he flung the grating open and allowed them to pass. A flight of steps was next descended, and then another very massive door was opened and closed after them. They were in a long dimly-lighted corridor. Doors were ou both sides of 1t. Each one was strongly made, and had a figure painted npon it. splncetin stopped before one which was numbered 7. He unlocked it by means of a key which he took from his pocket. “In you go, Tom!” he said. ‘ Take care!”’ He gave him a sudden push, which caused poor Tom, who certairly had been very badly used, to fall on his face in the cell. Blueskin did not trouble about that little circumstance, but hanged the door shut, and fastened it azain. Wild was waiting for him in the passage. ‘© He’s safe!” said Blueskin, lacomically. \ A suceession of loud knocks cane at this moment upon the front door of Wild’s house. Jonathan retreated to his office. He, however, stood just within the threshold. He was anxions to know whio it was that had come with such a noisy summons for admittance. “Oven tke door, Blue! Look sharp! en pnusiness I’m at home.” If it’s anyone Gum: ee > A ROMANCE. — “S_ -e eewe g _ Jonathan heard Blueskin saunter to the door and open it, just as the knocking was renewed for the second time, and with greater violence than before. ** Hullo!” That was Blueskin’s mode of greeting everyboay. - © Tg this Mr. Wild’s, the thief-taker’s P”’ “Rather! Is it business?” e¢ Yeas,”? “All right, then! Come in! ‘ [ will tell his lordship.” © T say I will tell his lordship.” “ Ob this lordship wants to see Mr. Wild?” * Lord who P” ** Ingestrie.”’ Wild heard the footman’s feet descend the steps. He poked his head out iuto the hall. “Blue, you villain! Blue! Mind how you speak te his lordship.” “You be hanged! Here he comes.” Jonathan dashed precipitately into his office as he heard some one enter. He jumped on his stool. There lay the diamond necklace about which Lord In- gestrie had doubtless come to make some inquiries. Wild only had just time to cover it over with his hat and lay his cudgel across it, when the office-door opened, and Blueskin, with an obsequious bow, ushered Lord In- gestrie into the sanctum of the great thief-taker. Jonathan gave his wig one of his most ferocious twitches. “Good morning, your lordship,” he said, in servile tones ; *‘ What can I have the pleasure of doing for you this morning ?” “Well, Mr. Wild, it 1s a little affair I wish you to manage for me.” “TI am quite at your lordship’s service,” said Wild, giving his wig another twitch. ‘* What can I do for you?” “Well, the fact is, Lady Ingestrie, on her way home from the Countess of Wiltshire’s rout, was, in some iner- plicable way, robbed of a diamond necklace.” “Dear me!” said Wild, with an assumption of great interest and curiosity, “‘ How singular!” The necklace itself, you must understand,” continued his lordship, ‘is intrinsically worth a very large sum, besides which, it bas been iu the possession of the family for many generations.” **Pinching Tom was nght,” muttered Jonathan. “ What an idiot he was not to be civil to me!” “* What do you say, Mr. Wild ?” Mr. Wild’s at home.” CHAPTER IV. JACK SHEPPARD BAFFLES THE WATCHMAN, AND TAKES REFUGE AT THE “‘ BLACK LION,’ IN DRURY LANE. JACK SHEPPARD wrenched his head round with a violent effort, and found himself face to face with a watchman. “That’s right!’ cried Mr. Roots, ‘“‘ That’s nght ! Hold him tight—the vagabond !—or else he will escape.” * All right, your honour!” said the watchman, taking a firmer grip, ‘‘T’ll settle him. You shall be provided with a comfortable night’s lodging, and nothing to pay! Come along, now, will you ?” “Let go your hold!” said Jack, fiercely. ‘ Let go, or you will find it all the worse for you. Loose, I say!” ‘*No, no,” exclaimed Jack’s master. ‘‘ Lock him up! I give him im charge for threatening to take my hte! To the watch-house with him! J will appear against him in the morning.” ‘Very good, Mr. Roots. It shall be done, sir. You'd best not be obstropolous! Take my advice, and come along quietly.” “‘ Never!” said Jack, struggling fiercely to release him- self, never, I say! I tell you you had better let me go! { don’t want to harm you; but if you will have it, [I can’t help it. Once more I say, let me go!” ““T dessay! Is there anything else you'd lke ? because just say the word while you are about it.” Scarcely had the words left his lips, than by a sucden exertion of strength, which no one would have given him credit for, Jack freed himself from the watchman’s grasp. “Help! belp! An escape!” yelled the guardian oF the night. “Help! help!” pe pre ence et NN NE * CoOnnicloOolk<S.Cconn