Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

EE » A A Se —_— 2° —_— —_— ee ee 28 SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: TIIE TERROR OF LONDON. Therefore, on finding that Filcher did not, As Jack glanced towards the railings, he per- move from the spot where he had fallen, he ceived that the little crowd was sraduall; be- turned his cloak, erased the phosphorous marks coming larger, and that. several had clustered. | oe r ‘ oe , from his face and person and, stooping down, | around the tall fignre of a man who had made | : : “ft drew the body of the man into the vault, and his way to the spot. eh ae closed the door. ‘‘Humph, I’m in a pretty mess here,” said Then taking a match from his pocket, he ob- Jack, “ and how to get out of it I don’t know. | tained a licht. This is likely to be a serious affair, for should I _The-pallor of the wretched man’s features | be captured, I shall certainly be taken for the struck a chill to his heart, and the hand that | murderer of this man, and then—but no, J must held the light trembled perceptibly. » find some means to get away. Ah, superstition - “Hecannot—surely he cannot be dead!” he | is inherent in the hearts of all toa less or greater muttered, in tones half aloud, but which in that | degree, and may serve me Im good stead now. place sounded loud and-unearthly, and caused | Some already believe the cry of this affiznted even Jack to cast an anxious glance around him. | fellow emanated from a ghost. I will turn my ‘© No, no,” he added, after a pause, “ the fellow | cloak again, and trust to Providence, and my has only fainted—the cool night air will revive | springs, for escape. Halo! they are trying to - ———— ee eel ? him.”’ ' He placed one hand on Filcher’s face, then | Quick, Jack! you must not be taken, or you'll | _|stand your trial for murder—the murder of that started back in horror. | - ** Great heaven! he is dead!” he exclaimed. : “Dead!” was the hollow echo of the recep-| could wish he’d not met it at my hands tacle for departed humanity. ' Jack was a brave man, but he felt his blood | ably augmented in numbers, were endeavouring curdle in his veins. _-The light went out, and left the vault in darkness | m. ” _- Yes, [ believe the poor wretch is dead!” he said, ‘ and though he deserves, his fate, 1 cannot help feeling more like a murderer than an executioner. I will procure another light, and make sure that he has only fainted.. Heaven grant that is the worst!” sete . * He struck another match witha trembling hand.. pe | | It burned up, and threw its glare on the now upturned face of Joe Filcher and the cloth- covered coflin in the centre of the vault. Anxiously Jack stooped over the rigid body. | trouble, or a fear of encountering something He placed his hand on huis face. ~ It was cold—clammy cold. . He tore open the vest and shirt, and laid his hand upon Filcher’s bosom. Did his heart beat ? - No; pulsation had ceased for ever, _ Jack sprang to his feet. “ Curse this night’s work!” he said, in a hollow voice. “ But I must away. Hark! what’s that ?” | | He hastily dashed the match to the ground, and opened the door of the vault a few inches, and listened. The sound of voices came plainly to his ears. He strained his eyes in the direction whence the sounds came, and he could perceive several forms gathered together outside the railings of the churchyard.’ | Whilst standing with the little black door in his hand he heard one say— “T tell you it was a fearful screech I heard, and it seemed to come from that vault.” “Then somebody’s there,” said another, “ Where's a constable? It ought to be seen to.” ** Perhaps it’s a ghost,” said another, “A ghost 7” “Yes.” _ ** Perhaps itis, for it was a horrible screech,” said the first speaker. “Oh, here’s the con- stable ; we'll get him to go in and see what it was,” -|the mob commenced clamouring for the officer | to climb over-the railings—a proceeding which | force the gate; there is not a moment to lose, poor devil who, though he deserved his fate, I {» . -& The crowd, which bad now become consider- to force their way into the churchyard by press- ing with all their might on the iron gates. . _ They were composed principally of the lowest and mest ignorant of persons—wretches whose home was the streets, whose bed-the doorstep, whose coverlid the sky— that class, in fact, whose ignorance made them superstitious ; and Jack did . . . ee ae not-feel so ill at-ease-as he might otherwise have — | done. ie Wes | a elton Finding all attempts to force the gates futile, he evidently objected to fer some time, either from a disinclination te put’ himself to the supernatural, + <i This delay gave Jack ample time.to change his costume and _nake himself as hideous ashe | could. ) At length, however, the clamour of the mob ~ became so great that the officer, assisted by the bystanders, climbed the iron railings and dropped down on the inside of the churchyard. | Jack then left the vault in a crouching posi- tion, and, pulling the black door to after him, ~ crawled along and took up a position behind a tall tombstone, where he’ waited in breathless suspense. The constable, however, though repeatedly _- | informed that the cry had come from the diree- tion of the vault, would persist in making his Way in an opposite course, till a voice in the crowd bawled out-— ; ‘'There’s an officer! Blowed if he ain’t afraid to do his duty. Hoot him. Yah! yah!” ‘Yah! yah!” came from a dozen throats, and appeared to have the desired effect—viz., of changing the course of the guardian of the peace, and leading him to make his way, staff in hand, towards the vault, , . He had approached very slowly within about half-a-dozen yards of the place, when Jack sprang quickly up from his recumbent position ‘right | before him. The man wes thus brought to a sudden stop. For a moment he gazed upon the white cloak, A, A A I i ly Ey ly . —_—— nicbooksrco (E(o) i = - pe, | a ee i —. = _ _ 7 =, ; o _