The Woodwose of Cannock Chase — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

THE WOODWOSE OF CANNOCK CHASE 7 “There!” cried Lord Hugh. In the middle of the field a shabby dark figure was tumbling as fast it could go toward the far hedgerow. “We have it in the open!” cried Bellamy, and he kicked his horse into a gallop and raised his shotgun. About halfway down that field, Dalton and Dick were also watching the same figure in the centre of the bright, pock-marked snow. “The Woodwose!” said Dalton, in awe. “What now, Sir?” asked Dick excitedly. “Why, we chase it down like a fox, of course!” said Dalton and together he and Dick thundered out toward the figure. Bellamy was startled at first to see two more riders closing fast on his quarry, but when he recognised Lord MHunstone’s friend, his heart bounded, for he now knew they should at last kill this thing that had taken two daughters of noble birth as if they were but common rabbits. Behind Bellamy, Lord Hugh also saw Dalton and the stable boy converging on their target, and he drew his horse up, the better to take a shot with his gun. He carefully aimed at the figure which had tumbled down again, through fear or exhaustion it was hard to say. Lord Hugh pulled the trigger as the figure got to its feet and as the shot found its mark the figure spun violently around, its hair dancing with the motion. Dalton had drawn up Storm and now he too let fly with his shotgun. The brown figure was reaching out an arm when the shot hit with a force that made it take a step backwards before falling forward into the soiled snow. Bellamy’s horse reared up at the sound of Lord Hugh’s report so close by, and he was forced to stop and gain control. Dalton held Storm steady and loaded another cartridge to his shotgun whilst watching what the wounded creature would do next, but Dick — with the fearlessness of youth — plunged his horse onward. As Dick approached the shabby figure he saw that it was still moving, trying to crawl away from those that would kill it. Dick only reined in his steed when he was almost on top of the thing. He saw that it left a crimson trail in the snow behind it. Its body was a mess of bloodied fur, twigs and mud gathered from its falling and tumbling. “Die, you monster!” whispered Dick under his breath. He pulled out his small penny knife that he had only ever used for skinning rabbits. The figure stopped its crawling and turned its face up to look at Dick. Half hidden by mussed up hair, its eyes still shone from its brown face and the mouth opened exposing bloody teeth. “Dick!” moaned the figure in voice so weak that Dick thought his imagination had overcome him. “Oh - Dick!” it said again and then the face fell forward into the snow and a final shudder passed through its body. With mounting terror and as if in a dream, Dick dismounted and took trembling steps toward the broken figure, his boots crunching in the thawing snow, and his penny knife held out before him. Among the dirt and twigs and mossy hair, Dick fancied he gaw something cream coloured. He moved closer now and knelt before the prone form. He gingerly reached out to touch the half-revealed | whiteness and felt the material of a petticoat! As if transformed by this touch, Dick at once saw that the Dome was brown only because of hardened mud, the | twigs and soil encrusted into it giving an appearance of fur from a distance. The long hair flowing from the thing’s head was all too real, but once more, soil and foliage had bequeathed a wildness that hid the truth! Dick lifted the long hair and looked into the face of one he had known for many a long year, his very marrow frozen at the spectacle. “Lady Hannah!” breathed Dick. He pushed himself away from the corpse and tried to stagger to his feet. He heard the sound of hooves behind him and turning saw Dalton, Bellamy and Lord Hugh all arrive at the same time. Now it was their turn to stare with disbelief at the body that lay | before them. | “Tis Lady Hannah? said Dick, almost choking on | the words. | Dalton’s eyes were almost out of his head. He jumped down from his horse and in two strides was | standing over the smashed and bloodied form. He | prodded at the lifeless body with his shotgun before | turning it over with his boot so that it lay on its back ‘and immediately recognised the once beautiful | features of Lady Hannah - her staring eyes seeing nothing, her gaping mouth now wordless! “T fancy I missed my shot.” said Lord Hugh and | everyone turned to look at him. | “Yes. Lord Hugh continued, “fancy I missed the | mark there, Bellamy. This gentleman here is entirely | responsible for this atrocity!” | Dalton now stood and stared with fury at Lord | Hugh. “What did you say?” Dalton asked coldly. Bellamy interrupted the exchange. “Gentlemen!” said he, “Methinks we are all in this as one. It is of signal importance that we act with honour and greet whatever fate befalls us. The Almighty knows that this poor girl has met her dreadful end, and that we are all of us guilty to a degree of — ”. | We will never know what Bellamy’s next word was to be, for Dalton had turned his shotgun toward the 'man and let it off with an echoing report that made all the horses jump. The force took Bellamy from his saddle, and he landed heavily on the frozen ground, his chest a sight more usually observed in the shop of a butcher. Lord Hugh was aghast. “Bellamy!” Lord Hugh cried, and he jumped down from his horse and went to his friend who was struggling still on the soil. Dick watched Lord Hugh kneel at his friend’s side and gently lift his head. Turning back, Dick saw Dalton reach into his waistcoat and pull out a cartridge then he breeched open his shotgun and pushed the cartridge home. Before he knew what he was doing Dick threw himself at Dalton and stabbed at his chest with his penny knife. The weight and strength of the youth caused Dalton to fall back onto the snow and Dick fell on top of him. After only a short struggle, a loud report sent Dick rolling over and over until he stopped in a furrow. Dalton got to his feet, smoke still curling from his G COLNIELDAOO SCO) ____ ee | |