The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 272: what you’re looking at

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

THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. plunder you seek, you have come to ithe wrong place, for we are poor and without fands.” Harold smiled. ‘' Has the sovereignty of England left so little behind it, then?" said he. “ Prince Charles, disguise is useless. Place upon you more suit- able attire and follow us.” The Prince saw at once that it was ofno avail for him to endeavour any longer to conceal himself under the guise of a woman. Those who had had information correct enough to enable them to discover him had also pene- tration enough to see through his attempt at concealment, and he accordingly, after a rapid conference with his friend Leicester, who had now recovered from the wound inflicted on him by Simon Lawless, began to change his dress. After a short delay they were ready to start. “ Now, gentlemen, I am ready,” said Prince Charles, “I suppose I am being led to the block. My father’s blood was, doubtless, in- sufficient to float away all your hates of our un- fortunate family.”’ | “Tcan tell you nothing now,” said Harold. ‘‘ Follow me, and you will perceive then our purpose.” “ No good one, or you wouldn’t be chief execu- tor of it,” said Leicester, sneeringly. The Young Apprentice took no notice of this sneer. . Leading the way down stairs he marshalled his men in the open space before the house, and having placed Prince Charles and his friend in the middle began his march along,the now quiet streets, + More than once ere they started Charles glanced towards those who had fought for him at the old inn, as if asking them to make one last effort in his favour. More than once they eyed Harold and his companions with no friendly glance. But resistance was in vain. They saw this plainly. Standing by sullenly, therefore, they watched the Prince and his captors as they marched away, and after cursing the ill-luck which had brought such arun of bloodshed and violence to their house, they proceeded to set things in order, This had scarcely been done, and the vic- torious apprentices had scarcely been gone ten minutes when a light step hurried down the stairs, and a fair form entered the lower room, This was Alicia Leslie, Daring the combat the Prince and his com- panions contrived to conceal her, and as there was no suspicion that she was with them, she was not sought for, | “ Are they gone ?” she asked, ‘ Yea,” growled the old woman, the landlady of the inn. ‘Yes, they are gone, and sorry enough | am that they ever came here.” Alicia made no further remark, Without another word she passed out of the inn, and despite the fact that it was pitch dark and in the middle of the night, she hurried away in the direction of the Tower. To this spot she imagined that Princa Charles and Leciester would be taken; but on arriving there she found all still. The grim old fortress frowned silent and : t | solemn over the river, and save the sentinels at the gates, there were no signs of life, She approached one of these men. “ Have any prisonera being brought to the Tower this night ?” she asked, The man drew back so that the light of the oil lamp whick swung over the gateway was full in her face. - an my pretty one,” he said, “what want ou 7’ “You heard my question,” she answewed, ‘ Nay, then, I did not,” he returned. “ T will repeat it then,” she said, haughtily ; “I asked you whether any prisoners had entered the Tower this night.”’ The man looked at her with an ironical smile. “Such questions we are ordered not to answer,’ he said’; “but if you witl give me a tise I will answer you for the sake 6f your pretty ace.’ To The hot blood of indignation mounted inte Alicia’s face as the man spoke. Fhrasting her hand into her bosom, she dréw forth a purse, and took from it a piece of gotd. ‘‘ Here,” she said, “take this; i¢ will @6 you more good than a kiss,” The man took the piece of gold from her hands, but stillas he glanced at her ripe, red lips, seemed to doubt his prudence in having accepted money in lieu of the nectar which they seemed to promise, . “Well, my fair mistress,” he said, ‘‘ you must think a great deal of your kissea if you will buy them back at such a price as this. Well, well, let it be so. I’ve taken the money and so I suppose you must have an auswer.” “ Yes, yes, and be quick !" gaid Alicia Leslie, impatiently. “No prisoners have arrived at the Tower this night, but I expect one.” “ One only ?” “Yes. Did you expect more ?” “T did. Aud who is this person whom you expect ?”” “Lord Leicester—the man who has been hiding about for years disguised as an appren- tice. I’ve heard he’s an awful villain—a mur- derer and a libertine. I hope it’s not him in whose fate you're interested. He'll die as sure as I stand here.” Alicia uttered a stifled cry, and pressed her hand upon her breast as if a sudden pain had shot through her heart. | “You speak coarsely and know not what wrong you produce by your words,” she said. “ This man of whom you speak is my betrothed husband, He is no libertine—no murderer. His only fault is that he loves his king too well, and now his blood must flow like that of his royal master to satisfy the thirst of these Roundhead wretches for vengeance,” The man's eyea gleamed with a hateful light as she spoke these audacious words, and he seized her rudely by the arm. “Have a care |!” he said, “have a care! I myself. am“a Roundhead, as yon call it, and a Puritan, and I think that King Charles fella martyr to his own false heart! So ask what questions you please, in future I will not answer them.’ So saying, he flung her away from him a# if Con EDOO , < 5 7 'y XS a c 2 eS CO