The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

Gs 164 “Oh!” cried Quelf, chuckling, “you have no trial to undergo.” “No trial ?” 66 No,”’ ‘* Not for the supposed murder of Lord Har- court ?” * No; we know you to be innocent of that.” “Oh, thank Heaven!” exclaimed Blanchc. “ But,” she added, in a moment, “ but why, if I am innocent, am I here? What place is this, and why am I in itif itis nota prison, and I am to be tried for no crime ?”” “You arc in a death-trap,” cried Quelf, as he placed some coarse food upon the table. “ Next to you is Ettie Leslie, the betrothed of Harold Fordyce. There are ten chambers here. Beo- fore long we shall have the armourer, his apprentice, your husband, and the others whom we desire to destroy, safely housed in this place, and when we hare, my lady, there will be very hard conditions indeed for those who desire to escape,” Lady Blanche listencd shudderingly to his words, She was thinking of Lord Raymond. Her mind was less fearful of her present danger, of the danger of her friends, of the danger that threatened her husband, than of the one fact that she was in the powertof Raymond, her old enemy. _Now she was in his power—so thoroughly in his power—alone, helpless—in a place where no cry of distress could be heard ! “When does Lord Raymond come here ?”’ she asked, faintly. “He comes at any time,” said Quelf, grin- ning. ‘It may be in the day, or in the night ; we never know which, At any rate, talking of day and night, that won’t make much difference to you, since you can't tell when it’s night and when it’s day from any light that comesin, I must go now ; in a few hours I will return with the dinner,” So saying, he passed ont of the door, which clanged to with a loud nojse that made the awfal silence which succeeded it still more terri- ble and dispiriting. Lady Blanche for a long time could not touch the food which bad been brought; but at length the pangs of hunger compelled her to take a little nourishment, after which the dulness and gloom of the place, and the complete silence, cast her again into a deep sleep. It was during this slumber that. Lord Ray- mond entered the room. CHAPTER XXVII. THE AMBUSH—THE ATTACK—~ APPRENTICES TO THE RESCUE"—THE COMBAT IN THE STREET—THE APPROACH OF THE WATCH— THE SECRET DESPATCH—THE HIDDEN GUNS —-THE BATTLE OF LANADOXN—THE DUKES SON—VICTORY ! ON leaving their house the armourer and hia Young Apprentice proceeded at once towards the house of Lord Montague, taking with them such implements of their trade as they imagined would be moat likely to be required, They had not the slightest suspicion of any- thing wrong ; and they were, therefore, unpre- THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, pared entirely to resist any assault, when a number of men rusbed round a dark corner and dashed at them. They were so eager to make a sudden and furious onslaught that they over did it, and passed by them, giving to both Harold and the armourer the time to draw their weapone, There would have been time also to enagt “the better part of valour—discretion,” and fled, had they been so disposed, for the street was open before them ; bat to both of them the very idea of flight was something ndt to be entertained for a moment. They glanced round, therefore, to see if there was near them a wall, against which they could plant their backs. There was no time, however, to pick and choose a place of combat, for the villains who had so suddenly rushed upon them had now recovered themselves, and were closing in around them. Just behind them was a dark gateway, and here the two friends at once ensconced them- selves, the armourcr standing a little in advance of Harold, as if to shield him from his encmies. ‘ Villains,” he cried, hulding his huge sword in such a position that he could strike down on the instant any one who advanced upon them, “villaina, what want ye ?” ‘We have an order for your arrest,” said one of them, approaching nearer. “By whose command f”’ asked Frank Leslie. “ By the command of Cromwell,” returned the man; “there is a copy of it, You are to be taken upon the charge of treason to the Parlia- ment, to which you. have sworn to be true and loyal. Both you and your apprentice there aro to be included in this warrant.” The armourer laughed loudly. ‘Your master must be a silly knave,”’ he cried, “if he thinks that I shall yield myself up to a crowd of fellows who rush at me from the corner of a dark street, when I bave a safe con- duct from Cromwell in my pocket.” “ The order I have for your arrest is dated after that,” returned the other. “ But come; we have no time for discussion. You must accompany us or we must take you by force.” The giant laughed again the loud hearty laugh which he invariably indulged in on anch occa- sions as these. There was more of menace in this than in the bitter scowl] of others. “Ho! ho!” he cried, “ho! ho! Hear you that, Harold? They will take us by force. Come op, my merry men, then, and carry out your threat. We are prepared for you, and in a hurry also ; so look to yourselves.” As he spoke, he whispered a few words to the Young Apprentice, and they made a rush at the same moment, Two men fell at once under the fierce onslaught of the young hero and his master; but the others, who had evidently some great object in view in their capture, rushed forward once more, and closed in around the dark gateway. Gradually they were driven back to their old position, but witbout a wound. Their adversaries fired several shots, but they were delivered at random ; and, beside this, it was a dangerous matter to fire, when friends ard foes were so mingled. ~ | mo) ) GOMES O146S ‘ lin