The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 344: what you’re looking at

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

f ; ~ we. wy a q ; +f \ > me ang f v ‘f THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. Silently, but skilfully, they fought. Presently, the Young Apprentice made a sudden feint. Lord Raymond plunged forward, and the sword which had so long thirsted for the villain’s blood; ran through his body. * Dead, this time—dead, for a hundred crowns,” cried the Young Apprentice, as Lord Raymond fell heavily back on the road, “and now let him lie there; let beasts devour him if they will, it is but his due. I will not protect him from them.” *“‘ By St. George,”’ he added, as he once more vaulted into his saddle, ‘since this neighbour- hood is so lonely and its people seem so uncivil, I will give up all idea of finding Villiers’ house to-night, and seek some place where I can find shelter.” _ As he rode slowly on, he saw a faint glimmer- ing light through the forest trees. It was the light in Lizzie Woodhead’s bed- camber. ‘* Ha, ha !” he cried, “ yonder gleams a hospit- able lamp ; towards that I will make my way.” And, with these words, he turned his horse's head towards it, Leaving him to follow this strange adventure, we must now return to London, and show the events looming in the distance, which brought Harold Fordyce once mere into connection with his old friends, the Apprentices of London. CHAPTER XXVI. THE SHADOWS ON THE DUSKY HEATH—THE FEMALE SENTINEL—THE CAROUSAL—THE WARNING VOICE—THE BOAT ON THE RIVER—THE OLD BOATHOUSE—THE MURDER —THE CLUTCH OF THE DEAD MAN’S HAND, Iv was the 30th January, 1661. _Exactly two years had passed since the axe of Simon Lawless, the executioner, had severed from ita body the head of Charles the First. England was in a state of confusion. The sea was infested with pirates, who seized upon English shipping, in the name of Oharles the Second. In foreign countries, the English were treated with ignominy. At home all was turmoil and excitement. Not on this 30th January, however, was there much movement observable in the old city of London, although, in the hearts of many of her citizens, the scene must have been well remem- bered that had occurred two years before, upon the chill, gloomy morning in winter, But if the city was sleeping, there were spirite up and moving in one of its suburbs, at east, Over the dusky expanse of Blackheath, stealthy figures were moving—going one by one —taking no heed of each other, uttering no sound, showing no features, concealing their very forms; acting seemingly, however, in direct unison, and making all of them for one point. Right away before them, extended the dark heath, dotted here and there with little knolls and clumps of heather, with here and there a few shrubs, but showing, except in the far dis- tance, no signs of human life. And this sign was a very vague one, only a flickering light, which seemed to be placed in the window of some far-off cottage. Towards this light the men, to the number of fifty or sixty, hurried with an impatience which showed that some grcat enterprise wason foot— some great and earnest enterprise in which their hearts were earnestly engaged. One cspecially, who led the long line of shadowy forms and who towered some inches above any one of them, dashed forward at a run as he approached the point where the red light shone, and sprang witb a light step towards the door, murmuring to himself as he seized the rusty knocker, “Safely reached at last! By the cross, I had almost feared that a will-o’-the-wisp had deceived me, as it has so often happened to me in those accursed Scotch valleys. What, ho! Within there |” The house, at the door of which he knocked, was a strange, old building, which seemed to have been patched up from time to time at the whim of one or another of its owners, until it assumed most strange and unsightly proportions. It was formed entirely of wood, and its black and tottering walla were overhung by some wild, old trees, whose roots, in some cases, stretched right across the space which had once contained the waters of a moat. It was so patched and battered, and time worn, in fact, that it seemed as if the crimes of years had been enacted within it, and had left the im- press of its sinfulness upon its face, The masked man, who thundered so impera- tively at the door, however, took no note of all this. He only eagerly awaited the arrival of some one from within. In a few moments a head (a pretty head, and that was all you could say, for the face was masked) was protruded from a window above him, ‘Who's there ?”’ asked a silvery voice. ‘A friend to Prince Charlie,” replied the tall man in the cloak, “Good ; I will at once admit you,” said the young girl. ‘ And who, pray, are those shadowy figures who come trooping along in the dis- tance ?” ‘They are also friends, Ask each, however, as he comesin, for fear, that even after al/ our precantions, we may include a traitor among our ranks, But come, my pretty one, open the door, for the night is cold, and the wind, I can assure you, blows sharp and chil] from the river.” The pretty little head was now withdrawn, the window was closed, and in a few moments after the door below was opened. ‘ Enter,” said the girl, standing back amid the shadows, ‘‘enter. Yonder, where the light is, is the room for your meeting ; when you are all here, the light in the casement above will be put out, and I shall watch to see that no strangers approach.” . The tall, masked man passed up the dar passage, and pushing open a door before him, from whence a faint glimmering of light pro- ceeded, entered an immense room, which was quite large enough to contain a hundred men. Here he was, within a quarter of an hour, joined by fifty others, who, seating themselves Con EDOOo vi *) A eS ~ CO