Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

St tite A iil i AR I Rm 70 SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. The next instant the trap was closed, and the cell was once more in darkness. What a relief to Slater! He sprang silently up in the bed, crossed the eell, and placed his ear to the door. “Has he gose?’” he muttered to himself; ‘or is he listening outside? Oh, that I could | hear his footstep ! ” | But, spite of his exertions, he could hear no. sound, save the beating of his own heart, which | throbbed so violently in his bosom. . He was trembling, too, in every limb with the excitement under which he laboured. * Hist!” He turned from the door. Again was the figure at the window. To spring upon his bed was the work of a moment. “Has he gone, or does he‘listen outside the cell?’ said Slater. ‘‘ What a narrow escape! ’’ ‘““He has gone further down the corridor.” “‘Can you see from there ?” “No; but I could see the flash of light from the windows of the other cells as he goes his rounds.” “Thank heaven! for then there is hope.” _ “ Yes; now work with a will, but silently, and a few minutes will unbar the road to freedom.” Slater required no second bidding. The little instrument cut deeper and deeper into the iron every moment. } “ Now leave the rest to me,” said the figure outside the window, as he grasped the bar in either hand. ,_ “God give you strength,” whispered Slater, in a voice that trembled with emotion. A sudden jerk and a powerful wrench, and the next moment the bar was snapped, leaving an opening sufficiently large for a man to pass his body through. ‘““Thank God!” came from the very heart of the forger ; and he thrust his arm through the window as if he would clutch at the space beyond. “Now draw yourself up, and I will help you throuch.” No second bidding did Slater require, for ere the sentence was finished he had drawn his head and shoulders through the opening. But as he turned his eyes upon the face of the stranger, he uttered a sharp cry of terror. Never had he gazed upon a face so hideous, and in surprise and terror Slater would have fallen back, had not the figure outside the window clutched him by the arm. ‘* Who—who are you ?”’ he gasped. “A man, who has taken the form of the devil the better to secure your deliverance. Fear not. I am your friend, Spring-heeled Jack.” “ Spring-heeled Jack !”’ “The same.” _ “ Who befriended my wife, and tried to save me from a felon’s doom?’’ said Slater. Yes.” ‘* God bless you—I ” —— * Hush !” “ My lasting gratitude ’?—— ‘Enough now ; moments are precious, cling to this rope. There~-now slide down to the eourt-yard.” 0 eee What canI say? How” ; “Go, quick, if you would again meet your heart-broken wife.” | “My wife? Oh! what have I made her!” “You little know .what your crime might have made her but for me,” muttered Jack to himself. Then turning to Slater, he said—‘* The rope is secured to the bars. Go, and fear not. [ will follow you, and point out the road to free- com.” | The next moment, and the rope slid through the hands of the forger. | awl Jack steadied it as the man went down, and then, when he could feel he had reached the yard below, he grasped it firmly in either hand, and then followed with the rapidity of an arrow. “This way,” said Jack, as he stood beside the forger. rene Seizing Slater’s arm he drew him along under the shadow of the prison for a littlé distance, and then darting hurriedly across the yard, grasped at a rope which hung from the cheveaur de frize on the top of the prison wall, and placed it in the hands of Slater. a ‘““Now, up with you, quick! I can see the moon will burst through the dark clouds, and delay is fraught with danger.” | Slater commenced to draw himself up by the rope. | But he hesitated, saying— ‘“‘ But these spikes. to liberty.” Main 32h) ge “No. When you reach them, beware ; they revolve.. Fling yourself in between them, and by swaying your body over, they will place you safely on the opposite side of the wall.’ ‘And then ?” rig) ‘Then draw the rope up, and lower it dowa the other side There is a good-sized stone secured to the bottom. Once you have reached the street, fling the rope back over the wall, and seek your own safety in flight.” And you?” “Fear not for me—look to yourself. Go! Farewell, and remember that honesty is the best policy.”’ ‘“God bless you, Jack, for such only can I eall you, as I know you by no other name. God bless and protect you!” Slater commenced ascending the rope. _ Jack watched him anxiously till he reached the top, and saw him fulfil his injunction with regard to the cheveawsr de frize. | ‘A pretty thing I’m doing by lending assist- ance to a criminal to escape from prison, but my heart acquits me when I feel by so doing that I may save a woman’s honour, Ah! there ; he is gone, and my good wishes go with him.” Jack stood anxiously gazing at the wall in the They will bar my passage expectation of seeing the rope thrown over to- him, when the prison bell commenced ringing loudly out on the still night air. | “Confusion! they have missed him,” cried Jack. “The rope—the rope! Confound it! what a time he is. Ah! I must fight for it, now.” This last sentence was called forth by seeing a man hurrying into the court-yard, It was one of the warders, oo. com F .