Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

132 SPRING-HEEL’D JACK : the girl may need seme little time for pre- paration.” “‘T shall require more, time than that, sir, for myself,” said Jessie. : “Then you cannot haye it.’’ “And why not ?”’ “Simply, because it is my will you go then,’’ he replied. “Tm not well enough to travel. Your un- kindness’ “Bah?! a truce to your croaking. You were willing enough to travel at a moment's notice when I brought you away from your ale cottage.” “ Would you never had !’ “ Amen to that,” he cried ie, bom deem “There had, been one curse to my life the less. Well or illyou must go. You told me,to-night you were my. wife, and would never refuse “to obey me. See that you do not in this case.” . “Why cannot you go with me?’ fixing a searching look on his face. The eye of the libertine guailed before her ardent glance. Because I have business here for a day or two.” ‘Then why cannot I wait till you are ready ?” she asked. : ‘I have given my | reason. Suffice it to say Ll request you to go at une time I have named,” he replied. And, turning upon his heel, he left the room without bidding her good nicht. “Oh! Richard Clavering,” muttered J essie, as the door closed behind him, and hid his tall form from her view. “Too well do I know the reason why my presence is not required here after to- morrow, evening.. I will pretend to obey you, make, every preparation for the journey to your seat in Devonshire, but Iwillnot go. You shall see me at the moment you least wish for or ex- pect. Go to your pillow, and dream of. the beauty you. have won, and believe you will possess. Go, and hug yourself with the belief that your ill-used wife. will be far from hence while you perpetrate a crime black as hell. ' ' Go, and think that my love for you has made me your dupe and slave, obedient. to your every wish and look. But that love I once bore you, Richard Clavering, has turned, to hate—deep, bitter, lasting hate; and you have no foe more ’ she asked, implacable than her whose love you scorn for another !”’ She tottered to her couch, and laid her head upon the downy pillow, but it rested not. so easily then as it did on the hard bolster of the little chamber in her father’s humble cot. ' _— CHAPTER XLVI. THE BROKEN HEART—FEARS AND PRESENTI- MENTS. THE day arrived—the day which was to make Mildred Hendon the wife of Richard Clavering— at least, so thought the lovely Mildred and her poor, but respectable widowed mother. Of course, Richard Clavering had desired that the nuptials should be kept as secret as possible | THE TERROR OF LONDON. -being used to move in the sphere to which he — i) —not that he was ashamed, he said, to show ihaie mS world his wife—her poverty made no difference ‘ to him ; but that it would be better for Mildred’ if the wedding was as quiet as possible ; she not _- - ‘ ; . a | : 7 A oy af was about to raise her, she would be timid, and he. could the better tutor her how to meet his friends at a future time; «| The poor deceived girl believed him webu by the best of motives, and a desire to render her easy, and she was nothing loth to have the marriage kept a profound secret from all but her. mother, and a female pps moving in i same position as herself. ' Richard hugged himself. too with the belief that the ceremony would go through without any in- terruption, although he intended aN x should take place at his own house. James had got well up in the service, and knew it almost word for word, and looked a very creditable parson in the suit of black poreheeee for him by his master. .. +} i+° : jive It was not till the last moment, however, that Richard thought of the absolute necessity of having one male witness.,, He knew that’as the ceremony would be illegal, this could -be dis- pensed with ; but then would not Mrs. Hendon, if. not her daughter, at once jump to the con- clusion that, all was not right, if he had no friend at all present. a. In this emergency he applied - to Jdmes. ‘““T tell you how we can get over the difficulty, sir, and no one but ourselves be any the Wiser,” | said the fellow. ‘‘ I’ve got a brother who is insane. He will do anything he is told, but knows nothing of what he has done a minute after- wards. I will bring him here. He can act as gsroomsman, and you have no need to fear that he will speak of the affair, or even recollect any- thing about it an hour afterwards.” an you get him 2”, “Tn less than an hour.” “Do so, and all. will go as well as we conta wish. I feared a storm with my wife, and her positive refusal to proceed to Devonshire, but she is more than half way there by this ‘time with that maid of hers.” “Yes, sir, and, my fellow-servants—miles on their, journey as well'to, the, same destination. | We must not let anything stand in the way now | of getting the affair over, and completing your | happiness.” a Na ‘© Nor of placing the funded pounds in your pocket, James.” ‘ The man smiled.. “ Few ministers get such a fee as that.” x6 True, sir; but few ministers run such a risk of being iagget. I beg your pardon, sir, L meant.”’ Never mind what you “meant ; see about your brother; and be careful not to put such words in the service, or there’ll be a pretty scene.’ ql Where § is the ceremony to be performed ? " * In the drawing-room.” “And at what hour is the minister inten to arrive ?”’ | “ Eleven.” ‘‘ It is now half-past eight. - There is plenty of time. Ill fetch my brother and tutor him how | ' a bee ' ; * eit J . S\ - ‘ | itm Ol tCcCoOooKS. co: , |