The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

BONS). THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. > ais > aaa 147 The new comers gazed up at him angrily. They were tall, stout, big fellows, and no despicable adversaries. ‘A dead man!” cried the taller of the two, “7 see it is a dead man; but we can’t have murders done in this way.” ‘‘ This is no marder,” said Leslie ; “he was an assassin, and deserved his death.” “ We must have proof of that,” cried the other, blusteringly. “What proof?” “ Proof before the justice,” The armourer laughed. ing before a justice,” “You think we are he cried, “because we have been shot at by an assassin, and have resented it. Not this time, good masters. Pick up this carrion, and bury m if you like, but as for ourselves we are going to London.”’ The two coun en—for such they seemed, in spite of their leathern jerkins and swords— conferred for a moment. The armourer teok no notice of them, but busied himself with seeing to the saddle of the one horse remaining to them. The only evidence that he knew anything of a presence was that he kept his sword in his After a moment the tall stranger spoke again. ‘‘ Look ye here, master,” he said. The armourer glanced round fiercely. “ Have a care, sir,” he said ; “civility can be paid for and incivility can be punished,” The other laughed. “Qh ! my friend,”’ he exclaimed, “we do not wish to be ancivil, but we have to look after our own interests, The land on which you now stand is my property.” “ And what has that to do with me?” asked the armourer. “If assassins lurk on your land it is my duty to kill them there as well as any- where else.” “Yes, that may be,” returned the stranger ; “and it is my duty to see that I am not accu for your matpractices. You must come with me before the justice or we will take you there.” “ Good,” replied Leslie, who, as I have said, had not yet returned his sword to its sheath ; “that is what I d; but let me tell you, my friend, that it will take more than you and your friend to make me go before the justice if object toit. Let us pass, then ; we have special business in London, and cannot be delayed.” The two men who had a0 strangely taken up the quarrel of Howlett the trooper were 0 braggarta, What they threatened they were perfectly prepared to attempt. In an instant two gleaming blades flashed out of their scabbards, and the second fight of the had begun. The man who had matched himself against Harold was a tall and powerful fellow, and many an anxious glance the armourer cast at his youn fiend, who, he feared, was greatly over- ed. His mind, however, was soon set at rest upon this point. What the Young A tice lacked in weight he made up for in vity, and the man soon found that he had quite as much as he could do to ward off his impetuous young foe, The battle did not last long. The champions who had so suddenly taken up the cause of the treacherous trooper, Luke owlett, were just beginning to think of the propriety of beating a retreat, when a cloud of dust was seen sweepisg along the road which they had lately traversed. “ Ab !” cried Harold, ‘here come our friends, and instead of going before the justice, we will take these two fine fellows with us to London,” His words had a magical effect. His enemy, wounded and weary, glanced at his friend, about whose ears the great sword of the armonror had swung to 4 merry tune. They understood one another well apparently, for in another instant, and at the aame moment, they fled away across the country. a ringing laugh from the armourer followed mH. ° “ Well, well,” he cried, “ I am glad they have fled; they were brave fellows, though fighting in a mistaken cause,” “ Had we not better wait until our friends come up,” said Harold ; “I have no horse, and they, perhaps, may supply me with one P”’ ‘* Yes,’ said the armourer ; “and in the mean- time we will search this fellow. Who knows what treasonable papers may be concealed about. his person ?” Suiting the action to the word, he knelt down by the side uf the dead body and began search- ing the pockets. ‘“ Ah,ah!” he cried, after a moment; “ what have we here? See, Harold, it is a safe conduct ; read it, it will be of more use to you than to me.” Harold took it and opened it. On the outside was written ‘' Safe conduct,” within were the words, ‘‘ Let the bearer of this pass wherever be pleases, CROMWELL.” It another pocket was found a second one. It was almost the same, except the signature: ‘‘ Let the bearer,” it said, “be admitted wher- ever he demands entrance. He is a good and faithful friend, CHARLEs REx.” ‘‘ These are worth their weight in gold,” said Harofd, as he placed them in his breast, “These may be the means, not only of saving me, but of saving dear friends also.” In a few moments the guard, with the king in their middle, arrived, and Harold and the ermourer joined company with them to Hurst astle, CHAPTER XX. THE KING AT HURST CASTLE—THE EXECUTION FIRST THOUGHT OF ~— THE RULE OF THE ARMY—A FRESH PLAN FOR RELEASING THE KING—THE ALSATIAN CAPTAIN ONCE MORE —THE DISGUISE—QUELF PREPARING HIS EX- PEDITION. The king was once more in close confinement. The man who had lorded it so well—who had been an ornament to a court which was a wondrous comparison to the libertine one of his eldest son—was still a prisoner. Cromwell, and the other Republicans, knew well to what fate the king was destined. Stern justice demanded hia head for the iG) A CONTEC DO.O ry —s = aread Y Ye. eS an