The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

— Like a tiger, upon his prey, Master Leslie leaped from his concealment upon the unthink- ing cavalier, who in the twinkling of an eye fell groaning to the ground, - He sprang forward with a cry of horror. Master Leslie was above the man who lay stretched upon the street, ' Master Leslie, what do you?” cried the young apprentice, in a low voice. _ “ Most accursed imp,” bellowed Leslie, while he rushed past Harold like a flash of lightning and disappeared. Almost petrified, Harold approached the wounded man and knelt down by his side, think- ing that he-yet might perhaps be.saved, but alas, every spark of life had fled. In his anxiety and consternation he did not perceive that the watch had for several moments surrounded him.. - | ° °.. . _ “Another struck down by those devils. Aye aye, young man, what are you doing here? are you one of the band? Away with him !"’ was the general exclamation. He was instantly Jaid hold of. So much was he thunderstruck that he had scarcely strength to stammer out that he was incapable of perpetrating such a frightful deed. ' “Why, this is Harold Fordyce, the armourer’s apprentice,” said the watchman, “ he who works with the honourable and respectable Master Leslie.” St “Look at me straight in the face,” replied Harold, “ ia i¢ really the mode of murderers to lament over the corpses of their victims and allow themselves to be caught ?” “ How was it, young man ; tell it boldly ?” “Straight before me,” said he, ‘a man sprang ont upon the person there, struck him down, ‘and ran quick as lightning from the spot. I gave a loud cry and then approached, to see whether the person fallen could yet be saved.”’ ‘¢ It was impossible,” said one of the watchmen, who was raising up the body, “he is dead, the dagger has gone through his heart as usual.” “ The devil it has,” said another; “we have arrived again, like last night, just too late.” Upon this they departed with the corpse. How Harold came to himself he could not well tell, but felt as if he had just awakened and was wondering at the foolish imposture, - ‘Frank Leslie, the father of Ettie, a base mur- _derer !” he murmured, and then fell down powerless at the thought upon the stone steps ‘of the house, | _ The morning by degrees grew lighter; an officer's hat richly ornamented with feathers lay before him on the pavement. Leslie's bloody deed, executed upon the very spot where he sat, rose up to his mind, and in ‘terror he entered the now open house, and hurried to his room. Bewildered and almost senseless, he sat in his chamber, when the door opened and Frank Leslie stepped in. “ For heaven’s sake, what do you want ?”’ cried he to him, Without taking the least notice of what he raid, and smiling with calmness and light- heartedness, which increased the boy's outward horror, he approached him. Flaving drawn towards him astool, be sat down close by the straw mattress, THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. ‘Well, Harold,” he said ; The apprentice started. a “Tired?” he said. “ No, sir, not more so than usual.”’ . “That ix well,” said the giant armourer ; “ that is well. I have a piece of work which I cannot finish completely without your assistance. Can you come to the work-shop? You are silent.” He frowned as he spoke. Harold grew hot and cold by turns. He trembled, in fact, at Leslie’s exhibition of depravity. “Sir.” he said, ‘*I will go at once, but——” ' The armourer gazed at him in undisguised wonder. “You say but—what ails you, then ?” he said. The words were pronounced in so soft and gentle a tone, that Harold could no longer con- ceal his thoughts, _ ‘‘Kither this man is a monster of iniquity,” he gaid to himself, “ or he is the victim of some fatal error.” “Mr. Leslie,” he said, “do not be offended, but hear me to the end.” “TI will, my boy; let me hear it at once,” returned Master Leslie. : : So, circumstantially from beginning to end, Harold Fordyce told his story. , - The armoarer listéned in wrapt attention. ‘ His face turned pale, and his lips quivered, but he said nothing. + When Harold had finished, he took his hand in his, “ Harold, my boy,” he said, in a serious and solemn way,.quite foreign to him, “I believe all you have told me, but you must also believe me when I tell you that J am not he whom you saw. A dread secret holds me tongue-tied on this subject, but, be assured, J am not this mur- derér, though it may appear to be so. Another time I may tell you all, for the present say no more ; and as for the work of which I spoke, I will postpone it for the present.” So saying, he quitted the room, | The armourer now lost all his gaiety. He stalked about in deep distreas, ataring with fixed eyes on-all around, muttered unin- telligible words, atruggled with his hands as if in the act of repelling some frightful object ; in short, his mind appeared to be tortured with evil thoughts, — He had been thus affected for a whole morn- ing, when he sat down upon his work-stool, but almost instantly sprang up again, and, looking fearfully through the window, said— ‘‘T wish, and may heaven forgive me for it, I wish that he had died in his birth, sooner than he should return to me like this.” : The words filled Harold with terror. He knew that bis mind was possessed of some spectre—that the scenc of murder was once more before his eyes. So when the armonrer, after the evening rayer, locked himself up as usual, Harold let himeelf down through a window into the court, slipped through the opening in the wall, and placed himself in the deep shadow of the houses where he stood unobserved. He had not stood long before Leslie came out from behind the statue and proceeded quietly along the street. Harold followed him. “are you tired ?”’ COMME DOO 8 ?