Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

a a eee + Se Gunes a. &4 ‘“< A very elose touch,” he said; *‘ but as it 1s, there 1s not much harm done.”’ *‘TIt is not dangerous, then?’”’ said Jack, with a sensa- tion of the utmost relief. Certainly not; all that is requisite is to stop the flow of blood. Take off your cravat, and I will form it into a bandage, aud then matters will be all right until we can give it a little more attention.” Jack tore off his cravat in a moment, and handed it to his friend, who, having again wiped away the blood, bound it tightly about her neck. “There,” he said, ‘ you will do now. It 1s a good thing on spoke when you did, or the consequences might have en serious indeed.” Thank heaven,” said Jack, ‘‘that you have escaped. I shudder when I think that a difference of two inches in our position, at that critical moment, would have bereft me of all I hold dear in the world, for, without yon, I should not care to live. My life would have no purpose.” These words were, as the reader may suppose, spoken by Jack, in a whisper, to his companion. Blueskin was listening for sounds of pursuit. “They follow us, yet,” he cried. ‘ Forward, Jack, all is well now. We have an excellent start. Let us take care to keep it.” “Tg Jonathan dead, I wonder?” asked Jack. “‘ I heard him yell out.” ‘““He was hit certainly; but whether killed, 1s more than I can say. His horse reared, and threw him to the ground.” “He will be incapable of continuing the pursuit in person, then. There is some hope in that. On—on.” “One minute,” said Blueskin. ‘“ When we get far enough to be completely out of earshot of our foes, we will leave the high-road, and strike across the country to the right, where I am in hopes of finding you shelter, if Bess can keep up so long.” “ Oh, yes—yes. Do not think of me, I beg, except that I am willing to endure anything to escape.” “You have a brave spirit, like your father.” “ My father ? You knew him, then?” Blueskin was silent. He had, in an unguarded moment, said that which it was his intention to remain locked up 1n his breast for the present. “Tellme. Tell me. My father? Oh, speak.” “YT did know him. But this is neither the time nor the place for explanations. On, if we are yet to escape.” There was so much obvious truth in this that the young girl curbed her intense desire to know something of her parents, aud continued silent. Tbe reader, however, must not suppose they had been standing still during this brief dialogue. Such was not the case. They had been going at an easy gallop. but now they put their horses to full speed. Once more did the trees and hedgerows seem to flit by them, like objects in rapid motion. Once more did the beat of the horses’ hoofs upon the hard road break the stillness of the night. It was full three-quarters of an hour before Blueskin slackened speed, and then it was because he had reached the point where he wished to leave the high road; but before he did so it was necessary for him to ascertain whether his pursuers were within hearing. He adapted the plan which he found serve his purpose before, namely, to place his ear upon the road and listen. This time all was still. Not the faintest sound which might be construed into heralding the approach of his foes made itself ap- parent. “¢ All is well,’ he said; “‘I really believe we have dis- tanced them this time.”’ “Unless they have taken to the meadows.” “That 1s a pomt we can ascertain.” €¢ How P a3 “You are young and agile. Yonder isa tall poplar; ascend it, and from that elevation you will be able to command a view of the country for many miles. “CT will do it,” said Jack, as he at once rode towards the tree spoken of, ‘J shall manage it easily enough.” ‘So much the better.” The feat of clunbing up a tree was nothing to one whose muscular system was so well developed as Jack’s BLUESKIN : A ROMANCE. | was, and in less time than one could have thought possible, he was amongst the topmost branches of the tree. From this advantageous position he took a long, steady look about him, but nothing save the various objects which composed the landscape met his gaze. Feeling, then, tolerably confident that their foes were not very close at hand, he descended. “* All is well?” said Blueskin, interrogatively. “T hope so. I can see no one.” ** Mount, then, and we will be off; but as we have yet to go some distance we will not distress our horses by making too much speed.” “They are splendid animals,” said Jack, “‘and have served us well.” All the better reason to take care of them. Come With these words he turned down a narrow lane, lead- ing “ a north-westerly direction from where they then stood. “Cheer up, dearest,” said Jack, as he followed his comrade, whose position was now so different to what it had been. CHAPTER LVII. THE THREE FRIENDS FIND A REFUGE FROM JONATHAN WILD IN THE RUINS OF TYLNEY ABBEY. Two hours after this our friends came to a halt. During that time they had heard nothing of their foes. There were no indications of the coming day. The moon had attained her greatest altitude and bril- hiancy, for not even one of those beautiful white misty clouds, so generally seen on moonlight mghts, speckled the heavens. “We are in Oxfordshire now, Jack,” said Blueskin. “We passed the boundary a little while ago.” ‘Indeed, I had no idea we had come so far.” “Faw have accomplished the distance 1n so short a time as we lave. It is a good forty miles from here to London. And now look round. Can you on your right, at about a mile distant, see a mass of trees?” ‘““ Yes, it seems quite a large forest.” ‘““That, then, is our destination.” “The wood P”’ “Exactly. But if you look a little more carefully you will see the top of an old ruin.” Jack Sheppard, whose curiosity was instantly aroused, strained his eyes, and then saw, dim and indistinct, some- thing which, aided a little by the imagination, did look like a ruin. Edgworth Bess, too, looked curiously towards the place which it appeared Blueskin had selected as being a safe place of refuge. “What ruin is it?”’ asked Jack. ‘“‘ What place is it P Why are you so mysterious P”’ “One question at a time. Walk your horse; there 1s no occasion for hurry now, and I will tell you.” “Will this road lead us to it ?” ‘‘No, you must take the first lane tothe right. I will show you. And now to reply to your question. That ruin which you see yonder is al] that remains to show where Tylney Abbey, one of the grandest ecclesiastical edifices in all England, once stood.” ‘<I have heard the name.” “No doubt, no doubt. The place, as you see, is now surrounded by a wood. By some means or other the place has got an evil reputation, and the consequence 18 that not one of the inhabitants of this district can be, under any circumstances, induced to approach it.” “T see. And so you think from this very fact 1t will be a safe place of refuge?” “I do, until a better can be found. I have no hesita- tion in saying that their supernatural terror is without adequate cause. Some accidental occurrence has given rise to it.” | “Tam not frightened,” said Jack, hesitatingly, “but [ do not know how Bess would be.” “With you safe and content anywhere,” she whis- ered. P Jack was delighted with this reply, and regretted that their positions were such as to make it impossible for him to clasp her to lis heart, which he had tae greatest pos- sible inelination to do. “ Bess,” said Blueskin, who of course did not hear her mame * TSN TES Se RS ted BOLE,” "un We eee: be at ———P ey FORE, (Wee ee | Se A, tool EO NOO|KS EO >