Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

ape ORNL i Fe RY. DL a = 1. = Sle eee Se eee oS EE RY Sr a | — 5 enema ner rmareene TB SN TET 86 TE BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. “Oh! yes. If any of the peasants saw it they would set it down to the ghosts.” The ascent was a fatiguing one, the steps being upwards of a hundred in number. At the top Blueskin turned round, and ushered them into a small chamber. “This isat the top of the north turret,” he said, “ and here we are quite at home you sec.” CHAPTER LVIII. BLUESKIN GIVES EDGWORTH BESS AND JACK SHEPPARD SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS PROCEEDINGS. Tuat portion of the old abbey ruins which was known as the north turret derived its name no doubt from its position, forming, as it did, the most northernly portion of the edifice. The room at the top really did look as though they would be at homein it. To Jack’sastonishment he found several articles of furniture in it, which ceuld only lately have been placed there, while in a primitive-looking grate a quantity of wood was piled up, which would soon burn up into a good fire. 7 These things were rendered visible, not so much by the lantern Blueskin carried as by the hght of the moon, which poured in through the window im a perfect flood, and lighted up every corner with the greatest distinct- ness. ‘Here we are quite at home, you see,” said Blueskin again, as he closed the door; “‘ you did not expect this, did you? Stop a moment until I have hghted the wood, and then see how ditferent the place will look.” “Tt’s a strange thing to find it in this condition, but I suppose. it is your doings.” “No! There is a story attached to the whole affair which you shall know at the earhest opportumty. I know you are curious, but it you will let me be I will tell you all that has taken place since we parted. There, now, that is something like.” Blueskin had opened the lamp and set fire to the wood. It blazed up bonnily. “Tt is,’ rephed Jack Sheppard; “ and now Bess, sit down. Here is a chair. [am sure you must be weary in body and mind after all you have gone through to- night.” Kdgiworth Bess smiled faintly. in reality she was all but exhausted. It must be borne iu mind that although she had not lost any serious amount of blood, yet she had lost enough to weaken her to no small degree. The bandage which Blueskin had placed around hor neck had effectually stanched the effusion of blood. It was really surprising how comfortable the old place looked aiter the space of two or three minutes, and when Blueskin went to a cupboard which they had not pre- viously noticed and took from 1t some provisions their comfort was quite complete. All were hungry, and made a hearty meal of the sub- stantial fare before them; but as soon as the cravings of hunger were appeased, Jack turned to Blake, and said,— * {am dying with curiosity to have an explanation of all this. 1 aim puzzled bevond measure. Do not keep us any longer in suspeuse, but tell us at once.” Such is my intention. In the bottom part of the cupboard you will find some wood. Put some on the fire, and we shan’t lave to interrupt to do that. Then I will begin.” Jack gladly enough executed this commission, and piled the wood on the fire in such a way as to make it readily eateh light. But as he did this, his eye rested upon the bandage round Bess’s neck, and he recollected that her wound had not been attended to, as it ought to have been, first thing. ‘Forgive me,” he said, and lis voice proclaimed how much lhe was vexed. ‘* Forgive me for being so careless and forgetful ; but I have been so much oceupied by the sights here, that [ forgot to look to your wound.” Oh! yes,” she replied, ‘so had 1.” She carried her hand to her ueck as she spoke. “Then if that is the case,” interrupted Blueskin, “ it She bore up well, but ee EE ee em nS Sh PR SI a PE TY A I I a TC, =) shows that it it.” “* But that 1s no excuse for me,” said Jack. have been dangerous.” ‘Tf I myself forgot it, I think you may be excused for doing so. Until you spoke, I had forgotten it.” With trembling fingera Jack undid the bandage, and when it was fairly removed his delight may be imagined, when he found the bullet had done nothing more than scratch the skin for abont two inches. The bleeding must have ceased immediately the bandage was tied over it, for it was scarcely stained. ‘¢ Thank heaven !” Bess smiled. All three now seated themselves round the fire, while Jack, taking his fair companion’s hand in his, with her awaited the commencement of Blueskin’s nar- rative. “In the first place,” he said, ‘‘ about these ruins.’ *“Yes—yes. How did you eome to know of them?” “From one of Wild’s men.” “One of Wild’a men? How, then, can we be safe? Will he not search this place thoroughly ?”’ “Wait a bit, until you have heard all. This man’s name was Geoffrey. He was a great friend of mine. He is dead, now. Jonathan had him hanged the sessions before last.” ‘* Indeed.” “He did. One day he took me so far into his confidence as to tell me of this place, though he assured me that he had never before hinted at its existence to any one. He always intended it im case of danger asa place of refuge to which he could fly and remain undetected.” Jack nodded. “It was he, then, who managed at odd times to furnish the place as you now find it. e also laid in a splendid supply of fuel in the shape of wood. In his conversation, he very accurately and minutely described the whole of it, so that when I came here yesterday to verify his story, 1 had no difficulty from his description in finding my way hither.” ** Yesterday ?”’ “Well, perhaps it would be more correct to say last night, for it was night when I got here. I learned a very important fact, namely, that Lord Donmull—for such is his name—had had an interview with Wild.” ‘TI guessed as much from what Jonathan said to me.” “Oh! mdeed. Now, however, I am overrunning my story. I ought to have told you when speaking of Geoffery that it was only two days after he told me about this place that Jonathan bad him committed to Newgate on a charge of robbery, and seven days afterwards executed at Tyburn.”’ ; “Good heavens! Can it be possible ?”’ “It was, and so you see there is a pretty fair inference that I am the onry person to whom this place 1s known. IT mention this in order that you may have no groundless alarm about it.” “Very good, and now you say you learned that Lord Donmull had had an interview with Jonathan P ” ** Just so.” “Then what had that to do with your coming here?” ‘His lordship I knew could only have seen Wild upon one subject, and tbat was relative to his mece. He would offer a large sum for Jonathan to place her in his ands.” “ T think he did.” ‘“You remember, then, that the last I saw of you was when I left you speaking to Wild in his own room P” ** J know it was—the villain! Where did you go?” “To the ‘ Magpie and Stump’ opposite, and who should I find there when I entered but Quilt Arnold, who, in the course of some talk we had together, told me that Lord Donmull had had an interview with Jonathan.” (<4 e 33 is nothing of any account. I am glad “Tt might “Well, I waited a long time at the ‘ Magpie,’ for where I sat I could see the door of Little Newgate, and I made sure [ should see you come out, but you never came, and at last 1 thought, as the hours slipped by, that you must have slipped out when my attention was withdrawn, though | hardly thought it was possible.” ‘“*] was in one of Wild’s dungeons then, my friend.” ““Never mind now. Tell me your adventures when IL nS OQ (O) (O) (SO) (C <S @ (S)