The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 211: what you’re looking at

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

CI K ~ > (- 192 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. dressed in the rude but picturesque costume of a trooper. ‘Ha! Mr. Lawless,” he said, “I am glad I find you at home. Colonel Ireton wishes to see you at once,” , “ Where is he?” | “At the ‘Golden Fleece,’ which, as you are aware, is not far distant.” ‘6 Are any with him ?” “ Six others 5 it is a meeting of some im- ‘* Is Cromwell there ?” “No; but some of the greatest leaders are Shall I tell them you will come ?” “ Yes; tell them to expect me at once,” The man bowed and retired, while Simon Lawless hurried up stairs to secure his weapons, and to take a farewell of his wife. * In such troublous times,” he was wont to say, “no man was safe away trom his own fireside,”’ In a few minutes he girded on his sword wt eg Daria htt clamlng ye, aear 6 g to his bosom, ‘Good bye; I shall not be long.” " She smiled and kissed him. “ has put you in better spirits,” she said, ‘it would almost induce me to try ite “Nay, then, my senses must be kept clear until my great work is over ; then the only drug I want to soothe me is your love.” With these words he quitted her and hurried towards the place of meeting. The place to which Simon Lawless was sum- moned was called, as I have said, the “ Golden Fleece,” and was the same inn in which the Man without a Name and his friends awaited, when expecting the arrival of Harold Fordyce from the North with Frank Leslie’s pardon. I¢ was an old and gloomy-looking place, built entirely of wood, and hung dismally over the river, near stairs where numerous boats could be seen moored during the day. recht woe walla ery nothing could be seen but w and perhaps a t twinkling out of a window upon the dancin - waters. As Simon Lawless approached it he could hear the plash of the river and the murmur of voices within, and could see down beneath the stone embankment dark places where murder might be hidden away from mortal eye for ever. “They have chosen a stran unpleasant place of meeting,” said Simon Lawless to him- self; ‘‘one who did not well know their charac- ters would hesitate to enter here.” He knooked, however, boldly. In a moment, as if by magic, the door was opened, and a figure stood on the t°. 2shold barring his passage. “ What seek you ?”’ said he, “ England and liberty,” said Simon Lawleas. “TI have been sent for by Colonel Ireton.” = Enter, then,” said the other ; “you are ex- ad In a very few moments his demure-looking guide had conducted him into a very large room on the first floor of the hostelry. This room overlooked the river, and was 80 cut off from the rest of the building, that no sounds whatever could be heard by those below, no matter how loud were the voices within it. Around this room were seated about a dozen men, in the garb of officers of the Puritan army. Conspicuous among these were Oolonel Ireton, Sir Harry Vane, Pym, and Nasobrigg. ‘Ah |” cried Ireton, as Simon Lawless en- tered, “ here is the friend we seek.” if —_ 2. “)! / . ' Lawless advanced, and took his seat among them. “Tehall be glad if I can be of service,” said he; “but I should have wished to have been a member of this conference had I known it was about to take place.” “We were not aware that you were in Lon- don,” said Nasebrigg; “it was but a moment ago when we were discussing the names of our friends, aad wondering to whom we could trust a letter, that one of our men remembered that he had seen enter a house in the neighbour- ‘hood of the Tower this very evening.” Simon Lawless smiled. ‘“T see,” he said; “you desire a messenger who has no fear of Why is it that none danger. _of you can perform such a mission as this your- selves f”” “If you object to go,” asid the colonel, in a voice of disappointment, “we may endeavour to find another messenger; but when you hear the nature of the dispatch we intend to send, you will be glad that you have been chosen as ite bearer.” “ And ” added Nasebrigg, “are so skil- fully disguised that there is no danger of your being discovered.” “T am ready to go,” said Simon Lawless; “tell me what is the nature of the dispatch.” Nasebrigg then read aloud the result of the meeting, in which he saw that his dearly-desired wish had at length a chance of being accom- plished. | The was addressed to Cromwell, and was signed by all the members of the con- clave, declaring that in their opinion the kin was a traitor, and ought to be brought to tri for murder, and treachery to his countzy. The d b went on to say, that in the event of his refusing to act on their advice, they would proceed to Holmly House and bring the king by force to London. diapateh Lawless smiled grimly as he read the “At length,” he said, “the royal assassin will be brought to justice. Cromwell will not refuse to carry out your advice. In his own heart I know he favours your side of the ques- tion, Give me the and tell me to what place Iam to bring the reply and I will go at once. “We will meet in three days from this. Cromwell is at Hampton Oourt only; bat there is no knowing what amount y you may be subjected to on the road.” ‘‘ Good,” said Simon, buckling his coat over the letter. “Good! If I am alive 1 will be with you on the third evening from this at eight Q’ Rid He then shook hands with his friends, and quitted the inn. As he did so, and passed along the silent and apparently deserted wharf, a tall figure crept out from a dark and shadowy corner, and followed him noiselesaly. GOVE OOO NOTICE.—ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PICTURE, PRINTED IN SEVEN COLOURS, NAG 1 ee WAS GIVEN AWAY WITH No.23. Others will follow in a few weeks. oe eS a Al b 7 CO