The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

© me A ee in nd case rather than improve it. We find yon, therefore, GUILTY OF MURDER; and we order yon to dic by the axe on Tower Hill, on the morning of the third day from this, at nine o'clock. If, during that time you can find this person whom we believe to be a myth, bnt whom you declare to be a living personage, do so, and we will freely grant your pardon. IN THE MEANTIME, YOUR SENTENCE IS— DEATH |” The armourer bowed to the judge, as with some emotion he pronounced sentence. “My lords,” he said, ‘‘Lord Raymond is a perjured traitor; you will find him so. Quelf is too contemptible for me to speak of. Time will try us all; and J shall be found innocent when it igs too late for you to repair the evil you have done.” At thia moment there was a loud commotion in the hall without, and a man burst his way into the council chamber. He was a tall man, wearing a long cloak, and over his face a black mask, ‘Stay |” he cried. “ Ere you dismiss this man to his doom, let me say a few words.” ‘And pray who are you who interrupt this court of public justice ?” said the judge, excitedly. “The 20th of March, 1610, will explain it for me," cried the unkaoown, drawing from beneath his cloak a bright sword, and raising it above his head, ‘‘Il am the Man without a Name.” The jadges at once resumed the seats from which they had for a moment sprang in their indignation, and the Chief Justice waved his hand in token that the new comer might proceed. “ This man,” he said, pointing to Leslie, ‘‘this man is innocent; I know it. The oath which he has mentioned as having been com- pelled to take; the oath which prevents his naming tg you the man who has the same form without thé same Beart as himself, J can answer for him. I can vouch for this, that he is a innocent of these murders as J am; and if you choose to release him, I will be guarantee for his appearance at any time or place you like to name.” The Judgesconferred for a few moments again, in whispers. There was & solemn silence. Lord Raymond and Peter Quetf glanced anxiously at them. They were like vultures who fearéd to lose their prey. At length the jadge spoke once more. “ Sir,’’ he said, “1 have agked my colleagues thcir opinion, and they concar with me, that delay is uséless. We decline, fherefore, to entertain your proposition. Frank Leslie dies on Thuraday mornitg next, at ten o’clock. “Then,” cried the Man withont a Name, in a thundering voice, as he stool in the centre of the judgment hall; “then, with thy good sword will I defend him. Dragged on the scaffold to die the unmerited death of a felon, he shall find friends in the executioner, in the soldiers who surround him, in the guard who watch him. From out the iron and stone of thé Tower I will snatch him, ere your unjust sentence shall fall on him. Farewell! we shall meet again.” The Judges started to their feet aghast at thi insolent speech, THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, ‘*‘ Soldiers,” shouted the Lord Chief Justice soldiers, arrest this man,” In an instant the daring intruder was str- rounded by the troopers. ‘* Back, hounds !” he cried ; “dare not to lay a finger on one who wears the signet of Crom- well, and who knows the private passwerd. ‘ Hope and prosper,’ is the word. See here the flash of these diamonds and rubies. Back, and let me pase.” The soldiera fell back at once, and the Lord Chief Justice sat down. “You may repent this use of Cromwell's authority,” said he. ‘ Pass free now, but dare not to enter here again, or I may be tempted to risk your power, and thrust you into a dungeon along with the protégé you protect almost with your life.” A low laugh, a bitter sarcastic laugh, escaped the lips of the Unknown, as the Judge spoke; and he advanced proudly to the door, ‘ Warewell !" cried he, waving his hand to the armourer, “ farewell ! we shall meet again when you are once more free.” Then he passed out, and disappeared among the throng outside. ‘“ Henry Warner,” cried the Judge, impetuously addressing a tell, stont trooper, “see that the prisoner 18 placed tt the securest cell in the Tower. Eét the guard over him be doubled, and let the Governor double also the escort to the scaffold. Justice must and shall be done. This agsaesit hat powerful frietids; he ia the more ddhgerous, ant’ must die.” He then ros& Phe council is dissolved,” he cried. ‘“‘ Away with him; and remember, let double guards attend him ti)l the momeat of hi¢ death,” His voice was stern and angry. The calmness and impartialify of the Judge a almost lost itself Mi the tempor of the CHAPTER VIII. THE TRAITORS GATE—THE LONE STAIRCASE— TRE GRIM WATCH—AN UNEXPECTED FRIEND —THE VOW—THE SIGNAL—TIIE TERRACE BY THE RIVER—THS SURPRISE—DEATH AND RUIN ! THE guard whose daty it was to escort Frank Leslie to the Tower, was a large one: but the captain of the troop thought, wisely enough, that it would be imprudent to pass with their risoner through the streets, after the threat eld out to them by the Man without a Name. After manacling the giant, therefore, so that it was a matter of utter impossibility to make any attempt at escape, they placed him in a large boat and rowed away towards the Tower. It was a dusky evening when they started, sid they kept a sharp look out for suspicious boats. They were unmolested, however. Not one of the armourer’s friends had suspected that he would be conveyed by water, and any idea, therefore, which the Unknown might have had of endeavouring to effect a resene, was rendered futile. The Traitor's Gate was soon, reached ; the low, dark archway through which so many GOVE OOO <S) aS , a CO =» X lin