The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. 157 Saddenly Lennox Lawler grasped him by the arm, Then he whispered, “ Follow me closely,” “But he ——” ‘Follow me, and you shall find that I am directing you rightly. He will cross the bridge. I know well his destination.” Why he was to seek this man Max did not pause to ask. It seemed, indeed, that as long as he kept the stranger in sight he should not lose the prospect of his gold,—the bright pleasure which had for so brief a period lit up his soul with joy. “This way! this way!” said Lennox, “ we will reach the bridge first.” Rushing along narrow courts and alleys the tempter led his victim by a short route to the bridge, and paused on a place where between the old houses there was a low parapet, ** Here we will wait,” he said, “For what ?”’ asked Max. ‘‘ For him.” “ And for what good ?” ‘You will see, Wait only, and be silent.’ What a staggering gush of cold air came from the water ! They were tolerably protected from the sleet and the snow, inasmuch as the wind came from the other direction to that which they now faced. But they could hear the roar of the river as it foamed and dashed through the narrow arches. It seemed truly as if the very spirit of chill desolation was abroad, calling, in wailing ac- cents, to kindred fiends to come and play rude riot on land and on water. Lennox took Max by the arm, and whispered to him. ‘‘ Max,” he said, “the man who has won our gold—the man who now carries with him all that would make you, and all that you love, great, and happy, and respected—is a villain, a mere charlatan—a pale-faced villain—one who In an hour to-morrow will transfer to some other hollow-hearted debauchee the gold that would enable you to be happy.” ‘Oh ! it is madness to think of it,” “ Think of Nelly.” “Let me go; the river is at hand. In the depths of its dark and turbid waters I shall at least find peace, Let me go,'I say.” “He comes,” . ‘No, no ; let me go.” “Not while I have strength to grasp you. What would you do, madman P” Die—die !” “Pooh, pooh! Leave death to others. He comes who will change all this dying mood in you. He has wrested from you all that could ave made you happy, beneath the seductive light of the chandeliers in the gaming saloon. You can wrest it from him beneath the dim light of heaven, while you are hidden among these snow- drifts.” } At this instant there came a gust of wind 80 strong that every lamp on the bridge was ina moment extinguished, and amid the crash of broken glass, there was a protracted gloom over the place, The roar of the water then rose with a hissing purge again, and as the eyes of Max Bowden became each moment more accustomed to the night air, he could see about him dimly. “What is it you would tempt me tu?" he said, in a hoarse whisper. ‘Tell me—what is it?” ‘¢Tempt you !” ‘“ Yes, what is it you would have me do?” “Take your own, Play another game—have another throw with Fortune, and see who will win. See, ie is coming.”’ “T know it—hush !” “ Close with him, and wrest from bim bis un- hallowed gains. He is a cheat; I saw him play falsely, He is a villain and a trickster. You are warranted in using these means, and by none other will you succeed in obtaining your right.” - “JT will, I will,” cried Max, whose brain seemed once more on fire at the idea of re- possessing himself of his gold, ‘‘I cannot, will not, go home as I am, after this feverish dream - of joy and wealth. I should go mad— m ] ‘You will do it, then?” 66 Yes.’ 6 Grapple with him as he comes opposite us here. You are strong and young and active, and will get the gold from him. J will help you.” You will P” * Aye,” muttered Lennox, “more than you think, But, hush! he is coming.” Max Bowden’s sense of hearing seemed now to have become preternaturally acute, He distinctly heard footsteps approaching. They came on leisurely. They neared the spot. ‘¢ Now,” whispered Lennox, ‘‘ for Nelly !" There scarely needed such an invocation. For the time Max Bowden was mad. The drugged wine had risen like fire into his brain ! With a loud cry that rose above the wailing of the wind and the dashing of the water, he sprang upon Lord Clement Villiers, Max seized bim by the throat; but Lord Villiers was quite his match. Flinging bim back, he drew bis sword, and was just about to plunge it into the body of the maddened apprentice, when a fourth figure ap- d on the scene. ‘Max Bowden!” exclaimed a deep and se- pulchral voice, ‘I have watched you this night, and I have seen the tempter beside you. You are innocent now—remain so. Lord Villiers, J will deal with this young madman, or, if you need a victim for your sword, run it through the body of this desperate young ruffian here.” Lennox waited for no more, but fled. As for Max Bowden, he gave one more glance at the speaker, and fell half senseless on the parapet of the bridge. The speaker was Harrok Dyser, the mounte- bank, whose murdered body Nelly had heard Quelf speak of as being at the bottom of the boat after the terrible scene in the old house ! ! “ T will take you from this scene of peril, my r misgnided boy,” said the mountebank. ‘Thank heaven I was able to save you.” With these words, he lifted up the senseless body of the young man, and hurried towards the Middlesex side of London Bridge. Meanwhile, Lennox had dashed eagerly away, and was making a headlong departure from the GOVE IO O1KSECO