Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

a - RR Le 138 S3PRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. “Come, my child.” ee “Heaven forgive you for the erime you meditated,” said Mildred, in a low, solemn voice, “for L cannot.” She led her mother towards the door, and burst his feet. One look he cast around upon the afresh into tears. ‘horror-struck assembly, then takine another Her woman’s heart had been insulted and crushed. | Then turning, as she reached the door, Mil- dred extended her hand to Jessie, and looking with a painful and commiserating glance into the face of the wife, said— | “ Heaven bless and protect you.” | “Curse her! Let heaven protect her now!” shrieked Richard. All turned towards the libertine. He had taken a pistol from his pocket, and levelled it at his wife’s head. A ery of terror broke from every lip. A look of horror was on every face. “Hold!’’ eried Jack. ‘‘Man, would you murder your wife ?” : | “1 would rid myself of a scourge and a curse! She has robbed me of my victim, let her take her reward.” Ere our hero could spring upon him, the hber- tine pulled the trigger. , There was a bright flash, a loud report, a piercing shriek, a cry of horror, and the ill-fated woman fell to the floor. | The aim had been unerring; the bullet had entered the brain of Jessie, killing her on the instant. With a groan Lizzie fell on her knees beside the body, and fainted. | Mildred clung to her mother, the servants gathered round their mistress, and Jack, spring- ing upon Richard, tore the discharged weapon from his hand, and hurled him to the floor. “ Assassin | murderer!” he cried, placing his knee upon his chest, and pinning him down. James stood for a moment horror-struck and paralyzed. Then recovering himself, the sham parson sprang to the door, and, nearly overturning Mildred and her mother, fled down the stairs.” . The turn things had taken warned him to seek his own safety in flight. Ife hurried to the stable, and placed a saddle upon one of the horses, determined to be off as quickly as he could. Meantime the servants had raised the bleeding and lifeless form of their unfortunate mistress in their arms, and placed her on the lounge. The presentiment she had felt so acutely—the warning voice—had spoken but too truly. Some. hurried for medical aid, others stood bewildered and alarmed; none were cool and col- lected in this trying moment save our hero, Spring-heeled Jack. : “ Richard Clavering,” he said, “you see now how one crime begets another. The first false step taken, and down to the gulf of perdition man must go, I will not upbraid you; your con- Science must do that too acutely. I will not ee [ ad punish the deed ; the laws of your country will mete justice out to you. The gallows looms before you, the executioner awaits his due, and may heaven have mercy on your soul!” ~~ = %, © @ @ - «_» @, - ere _— He rose from over the Be ee man, and turned to where the now lifeless of Jessie reclined. oe The instant he had done so, Richard leaped to pistol from his pocket, and levelling it at Jack, he cried, in a husky volce— - | ae “Curse you! you have foiled me! butTllhave | my revenge. If I must perish on the gallows, | it shall not be for one victim!” | — Jack turned. Richard fired; but his hand, | rendered unsteady by passion, the ball flew wide of his aim. ) Sey Oe “Foiled again, by G—d!” roared the liberti ae, | hurling the weapon to the ground, and turning, | fled down the stairs, as Jack and the 3 sprang towards the door of the room. — CHAPTER LXVIII. 1s | THE FLIGHT OF THE MURDERER—TOE SPECTRE | HORSEMAN, eo, Be Wire the report of the pistol still ringing in — i his ears, and with the speed of an arrow shot | from the bow, the guilty, bloodstained, and | wretched Richard Clavering sped down the | stairs, and out of the house into the magnifivent | grounds which surrounded it. ey To turn an angle of the mansion and reach the _ stables was but the work of afew moments. Flight was his only idea now. <a As he reached the door of the stable he met — James coming forth, leading his roan mare by — the bridle. ) As A cry of joy broke from Richard's lips, as he — sprang forward and tore the bridle from the man’s hand. an He was about to vault into the saddle wher James, perceiving his object, and fearful of capture, grasped his arm. a ““T have saddled her for myself,” he said “Tf you would fly, get another.” _ a “Dog!: do you talk thus to me? Stand — aside!” eried Richard, thrusting the man back, — and leaping into the saddle, “Away! another moment, and Iam lost.” = - ae “Soam I,” cried James; “and, by G—d!I " will have that horse ! ” aa “Back, rascal!” ' ) a “ Down, murderer!” shouted the other. | And seizing Richard, he dragged him from — his seat. 7 : “Curses on you, dog of a menial!’ roared the other, dealing the man a desperate blowin the face which staggered him, and again essaying to lea a saddle. . > ‘Mell and fury!” shouted the servant, “you | have led me into this scrape, and you st “i hel a me out ofit. J will have that horse to ensure my ~ liberty, or you do not escape.” . Richard turned upon him furious with alarm for his own safety, aud seizing a stable fork, raised it, and drove the sharp prongs into the man’s body. py lll nn With one piercing shriek the man fell, the — iron prongs still in his flesh, one of them pene- trating his heart. tee “More blood—more blood!” cried Richard 5 oe —_--———— : ow” agile me. ‘ 7 * ” a — ee Dinsion a be — a. a rae ne ee — eae — Se ee ——— ee oll h * } - a e Ne — . — = SE ? Se a ~ ' ee ~ Ween ~ | “comicbooks.com