The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

Ii f ay cy) (vc — aw =—-a — =a ae Eatering the front room, he found all empty again, . Then he proceeded towards the armourer’s bed chamber. All, all disorder, and no one to explain it. In all the rooms he found the same. The house had, evidently, been the object of a fierce and desperate struggle, and the inmates had either been carried away or they had fled from before their enemies, Harold was in despair. What was to be done? There seemed no clue to the whereabouts of hia friends, and no hops of obtaining a clue. Saddenly, however, as the moonlight fell in upon the table in the centre of Ettie Leslie's bed chamber, his eye canght sight of a little note. Eagerly he scized it, and carried it down stairs, where there was a lamp which he could ight. Having lit thia by means of hia tinder box, he read as follows :— ‘The one whom you imagined dead Ia alive. The one whom yon imagined bad fallen a ricttm to the malignity of Lord Clement Villiers, has returned to the world, where he has suffered so many wrongs, ani in doing so he has lost none of that determine? spirit of vengeance which has actuated him all throngh his acquaintance with the treacherous foe, who have changed the whole course of his life. Ettie Leslie is new in his power, aad secure ; through the ald of Fraok Leslie and his apprentice, Blanche Villiers has again and again escaped. Ettle will take her place as one of the victims of a just end resolate ™ “ RAYMOND,” As Harold's eyes gazed upon these words, hia heart sunk within him, Ettie was carried off then, and in the power of the man of all others whom he moat hated and drea‘ed, And where, during all this time, had the armourer been ? Why had he not been there to defend his child ? Was he in trouble? Had he, in fact, fallen a victim to the treache- rons villany of Lord Raymond as well as his daughter ? These thoughts crowded hurriedly and thickly into tis brain as he sat there in the dark room illamined gloomily by the lamp he had just lit, and it may be imagined that he was in a state of terrible excitement, At length a light broke upon his mind. He remembered that he had heard Frank Leslie say that he intended paying a visit to a person named Leonard Pcyton, and this person's house he well knew, Perhaps the attack had been made upon the armourer’s house during the absence of the giant, and, if so, Leslic was the firat one whom he would visit to consult on the subject, Prior to this, however, he resolved to ascertain from the neighbours whether they had heard any noiee, or observed any kind of disturbance ; and with thisidea he remained in the room after closing the outer door, determining to wait till sunrise, He had just returned to his seat, when a dark and heavy shadow fell across the room. It was the shadow of the armourer, or his double. A LS TE — —_— —— e =_ — m~e = ~ 2 = oe Harold sprang to the door; but no one was Not a sound disturbed the stillness of the old house. “It must have been an illusion,” said he, as he once more sat down and waited, His dreary watch was at length ended by the bursting of the golden sunbeams in through his window. Then he rose, and passed oat into the street, and, as soon as the next door neighbeur's was open, he entered and made eager inquiries, But he discovered nothing. They had seen no one enter the armourer's house, and had heard no noise, Harold thanked them, and passed away with a heavy’ heart. He seemed indeed to have lost every clue to his friends. However, he resolved not to give way to despair; and, proceeding accordingly to the house of Colonel Ireton, he informed him of the capture of Leicester, and of the flight of Prince Charles, ‘ One element of discord is gone," said the colonel. ‘‘ Now, perhaps, the mad friends of these Stuarts will see the folly of attempting again to establish monarchy in England,” From the colonel, Harold obtained a sum of money, and a pass, and ere noon he had started upon his adventure. He never once thought of taking any help with him. His bold heart was ‘incapable of feeling any fear, and he started off with an intrepid mind, and a resolve for deadly vengeance. The fair image of Ettie Leslie seemed to beckon him onwards; and ashe left the pre- cincts of London behind him, and entered the amiling country, he felt a hopeful feeling invad- ing his bosom. He had just entered the village of Whetstone, when he heard loud and discordant voices, one of which he fancied he recognized. Spurring his horse round the corner, he found himself before an ale house, near the door of which were seated two armed men. Both were ill-looking; but one of them was disfigured greatly, either by some terrible disease or some accident; yet in hia distorted features, Harold thought he could trace a re- semblance to some one he knew well, Some instinct induced him,to stop, and draw- ing rein, he descended from his horse, and oalled for a glass of ale. Seating himself at the table opposite the other travellers, ho eyed his companions nar. rowly. Ho was indaced to do this the more because the man with the hideously distorted features whispered something mysteriously to his com- panion. “You are staring very fixcdly at me, young sir,’ said he, suddenly. ‘‘Tam,” said Harold Fordyce, ‘for I fanoy that Iam acquainted with you.” ‘‘T know you not," cried the other; “ there- fore, turn your eyes elsewhere.’ “My eyes are free to fall anywhere they please,” returned Harold ; “besides, had I not cen assured that he was long since dead I 2) 0371 | Ee 9) THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. 955 2)