The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 288: what you’re looking at

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

Ji 5) THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. 267 “You must follow me quickly, but as noise- les’ly as you can,” said Lady Raymond, “No matter what you see or hear, you must not suffer yourself to be alarmed, but advance boldly. In such a cause you must assume your boldest mien.” “Fear not,” said Ettie; “I will need no reminding. Lead on.” Lady Raymond approached the door slowly, and, opening it, peered into the dark corridor. All was still there, although, far in the dis- tance, or deep below, could be distinguished the voices of men carousing. “Those will interrupt us, doubtless,” said Ettie. ‘Not so,” returned Lady Raymond. “We shall have to pass their door, but they will neither see nor hear us if we are careful how we proceed. Now, then, for life and love—or death |” Lady Raymond seemed, with her masculine dress, to have assumed also the character of a man, and even her voice and manner were as determined as one of the heroes who had, on former occasions, rescued her from the jaws of death, or, what was worse—dishonour. They advanced, slowly and carefully, towards the extreme end of the corridor. Here there was another door. This, Lady Raymond, who knew the place well, opened carefally. ‘All is clear,” she whispered. again.” Descending a narrow, winding staircase, which was buried in complete darkness, Ettie Leslie started back suddenly, for a gleam of strong and brilliant light shot forth on the moment across their path. Lady Raymond saw the movement. “Follow me, quickly, for the love of Heaven |” she cried. “ Go first, and turn to the right.” Almost pushing the timid girl befure her, Lady Raymond went rapidly on. Jast as they had passed the open door, from which the smell of wine and smoke came strongly, a loud and _ruff voice challenged them. ‘* Who goes there ?”’ “Only Gilbert,” replied Lady Raymond, in a voice cleverly assumed. “ Where are you going ?” ‘“ That is my business, friend Hawksley,” turned Lady Raymond. ‘ Good-night!’ And once more the fugitives pressed forward towards freedom, It was not long before the fresh air of night blew upon their faces. , The next moment they were in the grounds, and making their way quickly over the beds and the grass, 80 as not to make a noise, “ What is that light ?” asked Ettie, asa bright gleam shone forth from a chamber. ‘That is Lord Raymond’s room. He is there plotting evil with Peter Quelf, and Lady Cowley’s emissary.” “1a Quelf now in his service then ?” ‘‘ He ia for the time, though what they intend doing I know not. I believe they have some insane hopes of: bringing Prince Charles to the thr.ne, They will not, however, while Cromwell lives. But hush! Here we have arrived,”’ They had now reached the ruinous part of ‘ Advanee Te | *. “¢ —_ | such task as that now imposed upon her. the mansion, and were compelled to cross the broad gravel path. Bat women are proverbially light of foot, and they made but little noise. On they passed, to the dark corridor, at the end of which was Harold Fordyce’s cell, and quickly advanced in the gloom. Oh! how Ettie Leslie’s heart beat at this supreme moment. What if she failed now to save him !—the parting would be for ever ! CHAPTER VIL THE LONE CELL ONCE MOBE—WATCHING FOR THE DAWN-—-THE SWEET FAMILIAR VOICE— THE ESCAPE—THE PURSUIT—THE CONFLICT ON THE DAEBK MOORLAND—THE FUIGHT. WHEN Peter Quelf’s grinning, leering face dis- appeared from the barred window, the Young Apprentice was left to his thoughts and the rats, The latter were rather shy of him now, since his desperate attack upon them with his sword, and they only approached him, therefore, cautiously. The food he bad left was quite inaufficient for them. Their name was legion. The place where Harold was, communicated with the rest of the house, and all the families of rats which had congregated in the place made a tenement of the vault. : Cautiously the filthy vermin, therefore, ap- proached him again, and, just as he waa falling off into a sleep which was more like a lethargy than anything else, a sharp bite upon the leg admonished him that his enemies were once more near. He soon rid himself of them, however, upon this occasion. A few stout kicksa—a few cuts round him with the sword—and the filthy reptiles drew off. They resolved to wait. To wait until the life had ebbed away, and they cold enjoy their horrid meal in peace. But they were destined to wait longer than they imagine?. While the Young Apprentice was once more relapsing into a lethargic doze, a well-known voice spoke— “ Harold | Harold ! where are you ?” He knew the voice at once. It was that of Ettie Leslie. ‘ Ettie, I am here,” he cried, delightedly. And, with these words, he sprang toWards the grating. In another moment Lady Raymond had drawn from her pocket a dark lantern, and cast a gleam of light into the vault. “We have come to save you,” she cried; ‘but we must be silent. Can you reach to this window so as to be able to help us ?” The mound, which the Young Apprentice had made on 8 previous occasion, enabled him to reach the spot, but, after long and eager en- deavours, all efforts to remove the bars were found useless, Lady Raymond was strong, truly, but Ettie Leslie’s maiden muscles were unequal to avy GOVE OO © CO