The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

i a © 7 a THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. “ What wonld you have, fellow?” he cried. “Do you think that we are to be delayed and scrutinised by every knave we meet ?”’ “Quick, quick !’’ said the king. ‘‘ There are lights moving in the castle." “Ha! the king’s voice!” exclaimed the man. “ What ho, there ! there is trea——”’ He had no time to finish the word, for the colonel’s sword struck him to the earth, and he rolled over at their feet, a headless corpse. “ On for your life, your majesty !"’ cried Chorl- ton. “1 fear that we are even now too late.” His foreboding was true. ° Scarcely had the words left his lips when there was a rush of dark forms from behind the rocks, where Colonel Chorlton had told tbe king to expect his friends in the boat. For an instant the fugitives continued their advance, fancying that the crew of the ship were coming to their aid. But they were soon undeceived. When they came nearer they saw that the uniform of the new comers was that of Cromwell. “ Back, back, sire,” exclaimed the colonel ; “ we are betrayed |” ‘‘ And trapped,” said the king, pointing with his sword to a crowd of men who were ad- vancing from the castle, ‘Tt seems so, alas!’ returned the colonel. ‘Pat up your sword, your majesty ; resistance is useless, and might prove dangerous.” Just as the king had returned his sword to its sheath the troopers crowded upon them. At their head was Captain Leslie, Captain of the Guard. “Your majesty, he said, with a touch of satire in his tone, “you have returned just in time to receive the messenger who has arrived from London,” “ Insult me not,” returned the king. ‘“ Crom- well has given no one orders to add insult to my captivity.” ‘I meant no insult, your majesty,” returned Leslie, ‘A messenger has arrived from London, and I fancy that this is to be your last night at Carisbrook.” “It should have been my last night at any rate,” returned the king, “ for I had resolved to escape or die." . , The troops now formed around the king, and the colonel and the party returned to the castle. On reaching his chamber the king found Harold Fordyce and the armourer awaiting him. Charles started in rise and evident alarm as his eyes fell upon the form of the giant, ‘‘ Have you brought me here an executioner?” he said. “Your majesty,” returned the armourer, “must have forgotten me, or you would not imagine that I should act as executioner. Do you not remember Frank Leslie, your armourer ?" “Yes, yes,’ returned the king; ‘‘I remember you now, and also the young man who is with you. He is the one whom I met near Whitehall when my equerry was endeavouring to tame one of my vicious horses, What is the message you bring me?” “I have given Cromwell’s message to the governor,” retarned the armourer, “and I believe that it contains an order for your in- stant removal to London.” The king shuddered visibly. - “Well, well,” he said, “it must come at last. I know they mean to take my life, and better than this suspense would be the death that must come to us all at last.’’ At this moment the governor of the castle entered. “Your majesty,” he said, “I have orders for your instant removal to London, I am sorry to give you so little notice, (but I must beg your majesty to prepare at once for your journey.” ‘‘Do with me as you will,” returned Charles Stuart; “I am your prisoner, and to refuse would simply be absurd and useless,”’ Within an hour the king, mounted on horse- back, was proceeding in the middle of a strong guard towards London. CHAPTER XLX. THE AMBUSH=THE GIANT AND HIS APPREN- TICE—THE COMBAT ON THE DARK HIGH- WAY—THE SEVEN SHADOWS ON THE WALL, MEANWHILE, the troopers who at Whitehall had laid the dark schemes of treachery to entrap Harold and his master, had dashed away along the highroad towards the Isle of Wight, but had failed to see any evidences of the presence of their intended victims. Resolved, however, to carry out the plan of bloodshed and villany which they had concocted, they kept on, and, learning at the various inns on the road that two such persons had been seen going by, they proceeded, in spite of their disappointment, until they reached Limehurtt. Here they halted. “T tell you what, Maxwell,” said Luke How- lett, “they have contrived to give us the slip after all, and reach the king in spite of us. Never mind, my friend, we will wait here for them.” ‘©Of what use is that?” asked Silas Lloyd. ‘The king will be sent under a strong guard, and we shall have no chance,” | “They will not be with the guard,” said Howlett. “They have orders to ride back to London as swiftly as possible with the news. They will return when they have delivered their meagage, and we can fall upon them.” The two men answered not, but followed him into the public room. Their or have been given into the charge of the ostler, When, however, they had partaken of some strong ale, Leonard Maxwell plucked up courage. “T say, Howlett,” he said, “I don’t under- stand your game.” ‘‘ Not understand me?” “IT donot. We started from London for the purpose, as I thought, of taking from the Young Apprentice and bis master the letter addressed to the Governor of Carisbrook Castle. This we cannot do now ; I cannot, therefore, understand the reason for our staying.” “Well,” said Howlett, as he paced to and fro: “it is best to be straightforward in these matters. These two adventurers must never return to London alive.”’ ‘‘Do you mean to murder them, then?” asked Silas Lloyd. “Nay, then,” said Howlett, “you use harsh terms; but this I know, that by fair means or foul, they must be trapped this night, They must never return to London alive !” VrSF® >.) e NOTICE,— With last week’s Number was GIVEN AWAY ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL CULUIASL OKs COM PICTURE. Others will follow in a few weeks. o/s