The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

—_~ the coach at Whitefriars, and then we are off. I hope she is not much heavier than she looks, for I shall have to carry her down the ladder.”’ With these thoughts in his mind, he went back tothe room where he had left Alicia. ‘“ Ttriumph now,” he cried, ‘ Come, dear, gentle, soft, engaging Alicia, I hope to see you reposing in these arms as gently and camly with your senses about you, as you will, now that you are—eh! Gone, by Heaven ! Alicia—Lady Hastings—hush ! Why, where is she?” Lord Leicester rushed to the next room, It was empty ! A hurried search, of a few minutes’ duration, convinced him that there was not a hiding-place in either of the apartments, Alicia was gone ! The silver chaplet lay upon the floor, and within ita circlet his eye caught sight of a piece of peper. e picked it up, and by the dim light of the fire, read :— i a knew Kel your game. I heard it all from one who OWS e 6 Change- ling has been carried to & place of safety. nie “A MAW WITHOUT A NAMB.” ‘‘ His wife |” exclaimed Leicester, falling, gasping, into a chair. “ Young Changeling’s wite | Then she is not Lady Hastings after al 1°? CHAPTER XX, A FRESH TRAITOR—ETTIE IN DANGER, WE must now return to the time when we left Ettie Leslie under the care of Mrs, Ludlow at Brighthelmsatone. The old lady had not been seen by any of the Leslies for more than four years, and during that time great changes had taken place in her position and her ideas, to Poverty, of course, holds out great temptations a e Mrs, Ludlow had been left by her husband in want positively of the ordinary necessaries of life, and she had been compelled to adopt many and divers shifts to obtain a sustenance. She was glad enough, therefore, when the armourer placed in her hands a sum of money, and requested her to take charge of his daughter during bia absence in France. She was delighted to see her—behaved with the most extreme kindness to her—and was never apparently so happy as when in her company, strolling over the pleasant cliffs, or reading her little parlour. During one of these walks, however, she observed seme one following her. It was a tall, finely-built man, [dressed in the cavalier dress. This she could see—no more. His face, whether it was handsome or not, was shrouded by his broad hat. He followed her for some time, observed where she lived, and then disappeared ¢ ‘“ Who can that man be?” she said to Mrs. Ludlow as they entered. ‘+ What man, my dear?” ‘The man who followed us so persistently on the cliffs.” The old lady laughed. THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OB, ‘« Some unfortunate fellow, no doubt, who has fallen in love with you, my dear. You will surely pity him.” Ettie Leslie blushed, and shook her pretty head. ‘Pity him I might from afar,” she answered ; ‘but that is all.” “ And why ?” “You know my heart is firmly pledged to another, and to him | will always betrue through life.” “The Young Apprentice, whom your father has taken with him to France?” ‘ Say, rather, the young friend whom my father has aocompanied to France,’’ said Ettie ; “ he has a good, a noble heart.” ‘‘ But only an apprentice.” ‘He is no longer one—he remains with us because he loves us well; but for years he been more engaged in the business of the Com- monwealth under Cromwell's directions than in framing armour. He has, in fact, laid by the making of the sword to use it in his country’s defence.” “Ah! my dear,” said the old lady, “ you seem yet to know nothing whatever of the realities oO : e,”’ “Do I not?” asked Ettie, smiling. “I fancy, in my time, I have waded through many ad- vertures,’’ ‘ But they do not seem to have tau the necessity of secking a husband as ition as possible.” ‘“ T do notcare for wealth, or power, or family distinction,” returned Ettie Leslie, warmly, “ or, if I believe all my father says, I might find both by marrying Harold Fordyce.” “ Yea, but,” pleaded the old Jady, “this gentle- man, whose eyes were fixed so long and so in- tently upon you to day, is a gentleman—a nobleman.” ‘How know you that?” asked Ettie, looking up in surprise. Mra. Ludlow flushed. ‘Know him! Of course not, my dear; but I can tell it by his looks. I can't say he's hand- some, because I couldn't see his face; but he had a fine walk and a fine figure, and he seemed really quite taken with you.’ As her friend thus spok entered Ettie Leslie’s min Could it be that Mrs. Ludlow knew this stranger f Had he induced her by bribes or other means to betray her trust ? Was she again about to fall into one of these horrible positions, which sooner or later must be her ruin ? * You plead for this person as if for a friend,” she said; “I hope that you do not know him?” “] know him, my dear |!” exclaimed the old lady, “I know him! Why, dear me, no; how absurd! No, no; I only remember, when I was young, that I should have been delighted to have thought that I had attracted the notice of suoh a fine gentleman. But never mind; since your mind runs upon nothing elee but Harold Fordyce, I won’t say anything more about it. We'll try and avoid this man in future, We'll change the time for our walks—we'll go in the evening instead of the morning, and then change again, se as completely to put him off the scent.” ht you igh in a deadly suspicion = ow mee & on @ee @ fu « GOVE IOO O16S C we CO ws iin a | -. Ls OO