The Woodwose of Cannock Chase — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

THE WOODWOSE OF CANNOCK CHASE eS lll At once, Lady Hannah brought her improvised weapon down on the creature’s head as it moved in close to her face. The Woodwose screamed — almost like a pig when stuck — and Lady Hannah scrambled around the side of it and threw herself forward and out of the cave’s entrance into the bleak winter’s brightness. She looked down at her hands and with horror saw that the “stick” she had been holding was a bone — a human bone! With disgust, Lady Hannah dropped the object, and hearing a noise behind her, plunged into the nearest tree-line, forcing herself through the biting branches and twigs, feeling them seratch at her arms and legs and tear more of her clothing away. In this way, she managed some progress through the thicket until the wood gave way to decaying bracken and then the vista of a frozen field and — Oh, Joy! — a distant cottage with a wisp of smoke at the chimney. As she ran across the field, she was hardly aware of her bare feet thudding nt the soil, frozen as hard as rock. Once, she tripped and fell is a ditch with a frozen puddle. The thin ice shattered under her weight and as she struggled back to her feet, she wiped the brown mud and dirt from her eyes which were already streaming with tears. CHAPTER 4. A TWO-PRONGED ATTACK Dalton and young Dick had found no trace of Lord Hunstone’s daughters. The thin, cold air had gone hard on their horses who were exhausted after half of an hour’s galloping. The two riders stopped to let their horses recover their breath and to decide on the next action. “Well, young Dick? said Dalton, “know you of any aides haunts your mistresses’ daughters would tarry?” “No, Sir” said Dick, “but methinks I know a place aphert this Monster you seen might a den make.” “Then tell me now boy! The day grows long!” “Caves there are about here Sir, and each has a legend for us country folk. Should I take you to ‘em Sir, and we see what can be seen?” said Dick, his eyes shining with a mingling of fear and excitement. “At once, Dick!” cried Dalton, and he dug his stirrups ait Storm’s flank in readiness. “Then follow me, Sir!” said Dick and with that he turned his own steed around was soon galloping down a woodland track, followed closely by Dalton. a * * a * LOOK OUT FOR CRIMSON CHARLOTTE The Pirate Wench A Most Sensational Tale of an English Rose—sold into Slavery ; her bold Escape and subsequent career as a Pirate ! No. 1 and a LARGE ENGRAVING GRATIS ONE PENNY WEEKLY. Lord Hunstone and his three friends had had no luck at Milford Hall, the Levetts being away in the Lakes and the ee not aware of any visitors that freezing morning. In desperation, Hunstone had led his men back to Brockton Hall to see if there were any word but all he found was that Lady Hunstone had taken to her bed and nobody had seen Dalton or young Dick since they departed an hour or more before. But now, one old retainer stepped forward: “The caves, Lord Hunstone. Try you the caves!” said the old man. Lord Hunstone was about to dismiss the suggestion but realised he had no other course of action, and so a turned to his friends, tired but still mounted and awaiting instruction. “Westonby! Did you not tell of a hunt some two years past where the stag hid itself in a cave go not far from Brockton?” said Hunstone. “Why yes?’ said Westonby, “vou think it?s possible that the creature might have taken the ladies prisoner in the cave?” “T pray to the Devil himself that not be the case? declared Lord Hunstone, “but let us ride to the cave on the instant and see for ourselves! way Westonby!” Westonby spun in his saddle, turned his horse and was off at a gallop with the others not far behind. He 2k *k a * ata Lead the The first cave that Dick located was overgrown and abandoned by man and beast. Dalton stayed mounted, shotgun at the ready, whilst Dick poked about pe entrance with a branch. Knowing country ways Dick was immediately convinced they would find naught. “Nothing to see here, oo said Dick. “But there be another cave along the way.” So saying, he walked his horse further along the track and round a turn, while Dalton followed keeping a sharp look out all about him. Dick stopped before a large tree which had grown around bushes that clung to rock and earth. A cleft in the rock showed a narrow entrance of sorts. Dick smashed the bushes with his stick and peered into the crack. “Nothing here either Sir!” he called before jumping back onto his horse. “Fear not, there be other caves. We will find them yet, Sir!” ae Dick, trying valiantly to sound confident and manly. “Then onward Young Dick, onward!” said Dalton. The two riders cantered away along the track, leaving silence behind them. Westonby, leading the way, was first to arrive at a small copse of trees often used by hunters as a marker. Lord Hunstone and his two other friends - Lord Hugh and James Bellamy - were not far behind. “Well?” said Lord Hunstone. «If it be true that your beloved daughters have been taken by this Woodwose, then methinks we should dismount here and converge with stealth on the stag’s cave. Until we have knowledge of its contents, we should refrain from making a sound? said Westonby. “Agreed? said Lord Hunstone, and they all dismounted, tied their horses and waited for Westonby to show the direction in which they should stalk. Westonby gestured for them to follow gingerly behind him and he purposely but with great caution moved AMLICELO@) SoCOM