The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 229: what you’re looking at

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

-—_—, . Fa Ft ae PEON m\ = s-210 C Ne GT wie oi ETS THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, CHAPTER VU. HAROLD FINDS A MEANS OF DESCENT FROM THE DEATH-TBAP—THE ROPE--THE DESCENT -—~THE ENEMY ABOVE-—THE CUTTING OF THE ROPE—A MOMENT OF AGONY—THE PISTOL- SHOT—AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, SEARCHING about eagerly in the darkness—the more rly because he saw lights in his room, Harold Fordyce discovered, at last, a place where a kind of windlass was stowed away, as it were, in a corner. To this was attached a rope for the purpose of hauling up water and provisions in time of siege. For the old house had had in its time to undergo a siege. On one occasion Charles the First himself, after one of his unsuccessful battles, had taken refuge within ita densely-built walls, and here and there over its stone-work were spots atill visible where the shots from the enemy's cannon had crashed into the masonry, and splintered it on all sides. For more than a week a strong force had be- leaguered it. Stout hearta defended it, hawever, and friends without had contrived by the aid of the wind- lass and the bucket to send up provisions and fresh water to those who would have otherwise perished with famine. It was by this rope that Charles had escaped, and Harold resolved on making the same venture. " Ae if to aid him in his purpose, the moon now burat forth brilliantly from behind a bank of clouds, illumining the terrace, and showing him the thick stout rope coiled round at the foot of a strong iron frame-work. “Ha, here my good fortune befriends me,” he murmured. “I wil) descend by this, and foil my enemies after all.” - So saying, he began eagerly to fasten the end of the rope to the frame-work of the windlass, Then, having done this, he flung one end over the wall, and prepared to descend. It was, indeed, a hazardous enterprise. He had no idea what depth there was below him, nor did he know the length of the rope, However, to remain was death, and death was the worst fate which could meet him now. Ascending to the top of the battlements, therefore, he prepared to commit himeelf to the ile rope, As he did so, he saw Lady Grace and the armourer (or rather his double) rush to the window, lamp ia In another instant, before he had descended many feet, the casement was fiung open, the giant leaped out, and, looking up, the Young Apprentice saw him, knife in hand, preparing to cut the rope! It was a moment of intense and thrilling ex- citement. Harold's heart leaped within his breast, He felt truly that his last hour was come, What could save him? Above him was his inveterate and determined foe with his knjfe already on the rope. Below him a fall of thirty or forty feet ! “ Come up again, or I cut the rope,”’ shouted the giant. “JI will not. Death by these means is erable.” “Then die!" cried the giant, drawing his knife acroes.the frail support, Harold’s hour, however, had not yet come. Just as the giant was preparing to sever the rope completely by one more cut, there waa a loud re fiash illumined the dark space below—and the giant, with a cry of pain, fell Harold did not pause to ascertain at this moment whence the timely aid came, Withont a thought in regard to it he slid down the rope, and in a few moments reached the bottom, ° Just in time, Scarcely had his feet touched earth, when a number of torches flickered over the battlements, and the rope was Violently swung up. “At the right moment,” shonted a well- known voice, as a hand was placed on his shoulder. It was Frank Leslie, the armourer, “ Well, Harold, my boy,” cried he, “ we have met just at the right moment.” “ Where have you been P”’ “I scarcely know,” exclaimed Leslie; “ but come, this is no time for explanations; let us fly to a place of safety, This place seems to smell of treachery and death.” Following his master, Harold sped as quickly as he could the mazes of the dark trees until reached the high road. ‘Where are the horses?’ asked Harold. “Safe in the stables I expect, where we can- not get at them. But, hark! what sound is that?” They listened eagerly. The sound was soon explained, for, in another moment, there was a rushing of many feet along the dark highway. “ We must hide,” said the armourer, in a whisper ; ‘‘among this gang of murderers we have no chance.” lancing round them eagerly, they eapied a small hut, seemingly belonging to a woodcutter. There was no light within it. _ The windows, indeed, were paneless, and, indeed, the place had all the appearance of g deserted, ‘This will do for ws,” said the armourer ; “they will, perhaps, scarcely think of searching so near at hand. Come, let us eater quickly,” The door of the old hut was unfastened, and they quickly, therefore, made their way into the dark place of concealment, They found within it piles of wood of al! shapes and sizes, huge blocks and masses of twigs. This ia just the place for us,’ said Frank Leslie; “beneath those bougha no one will dream of looking for us,” Scarcely had he uttered these words, when the rush of feet was again h and a red glow of torches moreover inundated the place. ‘Ah!’ whispered Harold, “the stratagem succeeds, They have missed us,” So it seemed truly, The crowd of serving men from the castle swept by, and the light died away, and all waa left again in complete stillness and darkness. They were just about to quit their shelter, Con eS we EDOO CO