The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

Cy THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. Some time passed. “ T will pretend to sleep,” thought the young apprentice. “Perhaps this person who is con- cealed here also will then show himself.” Half-an-hour passed again. Then the rustling noise was heard again ; and presently from underneath a coat of mail emerged the figure of the dwarf, Quelf ! Harold watched him, and saw that he moved the door through which the young girl had ap- peared. He sprang out. “Hold, Quelf!" he cried; “you have been listening ?"” The dwarf turned savagely. ‘Ha! he cried, ‘‘ what do you here ?” ‘“T have been listening too,” said Harold, The dwarf laughed. ‘You are bold,” he said. ‘Not more bold than you,” he cried. “ You have been listening, and do not wish it to be known. Let me advise you: let me out with you, and let us shake hands over the matter.” “Very well,” said Quelf, with a sour smile, ‘¢Twilllet youout. Come, and don't break your neck in the dark.” “ You wouldn’t mind that,” said Harold. “Not I,” said the dwarf, and led the way. The staircase was very dark, and it was with difficulty that Harold Fordyce could find his way. Presently, however, it became lighter, and then he could see that they were standing upon a circular landing, from which two ataireases descended. At the bottom of one of these he could descry ‘plainly the ripple of water. “ Where does that lead to?” he said, halting, and pointing towards the glistening wavelets, The dwarf made no reply to this question. He merely said, “}oliow me; this is the way.” Harold repeated his question. “TI don’t know,” returned Quelf, savagely. “I fancy it goes to the r-ver ; I never tried. me, Or We may be discovered.” “T will find it out for myself ere long,” thought Harold, and followed him without another word. In afew minutes they were out in the fresh air of night, with the ooze and slime of the river bank beneath their feet, and the tall, dark- looking warehouses nodding over them. On one side was the rolling river, on the other &@ barrow wooden staircase led up to the back yard of the armourer's house, Up this the dwarf led Harold Fordyce, and it was not long before they were both within their own chambers, and once mere asleep ; the one to slumber away in a heavy, animal slumber, the other to dream strange dreams of the cos- spiratora, and the wild girl, who seemed to have such power to lead them. CHAPTER IV. THE DOOM OF THE TRAITOR, THB next day passed without any special in- cident, and the evening came again. Harold was late at work finishing a small piece of embossed work which was to be fitted ona coat of mail. ‘Quelf was working at the other end of the shop, and Leicester was absent. Harold was so engaged in his labour, to which he bad taken so greata fancy, that he never noticed the door open, and a light figure glide across the room. The dwarf glanced round, and thén witha grunt resumed his work, The new-comer was KEttie Leslie, the armourer'’s youngest dauchter., She came close behind Harold, and gazed over his shoulder with a cynical sneer upon her young and beautiful face. Presently her expression changed as she saw the handsome face of the young apprentice, flushed and eager, bent over his Taboor, which he was executing with the precision of a far older hand. ‘“‘ Harold,” she said in a soft voice. The young apprentice turned round hurriedly, and his cheeks and forehead were suffused with crimson, as he gazed upon the soft face of the girl who had spoken to him so harshly on the firat night of his coming. ** Don’t look at me. I don’t like it, you know,” she said, but she did not speak nearly so harshly as she had done before. Harold dropped bis eyes. ‘‘What is it you wish for?” he said, in a tremulous voice. He seemed to lose all his native courage when in her presence, The haughty girl had already made a deep impression upon his heart. “ You’re to come with me a moment,” said she, with an imperious wave of the hand. The dwarf started round and glanced at her. A savage grin was upon hia face. ‘“‘ Haven’t you made a mistake ?”’ he said. “How?” cried the girl, glancing at him firmly. “Isn't i¢ me you want?” he said, as if he well knew that she understood the evil conveyed in his words. She made a gesture as though she would have struck him. Then she turned away contemptuously, as if he was unworthy of her notice, and said to Harold, ina softer and gentler tone than she had ever used before, ‘Come, Harold, I am waiting.” Harold at once followed her, and she led the way up the staircase to the room where he had firat seen her. “ Alicia wants you,” she said; “she will be here in a few moments. Sit down; yes, you may sit there by me, I want to ask you some questions,” ‘Very well, miss ; I will answer you,” said Harold, meekly. ‘Do you like my sister ?”’ “No; I am afraid of her,” said the young apprentice. “ Would you rather do as I tell you ?” “Yes, yes,” he answered, eagerly. The young girl flushed and smiled. “Well, then,” she said, speaking now more hurriedly and eagerly, “do asItell you. My