The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

oy isd us THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. 331] We need go into no details of the scene. Suffice it to say that the ceremony was per- formed, The guests, if the gentlemen domestics could be so called, were dismissed, and the strangel y wedded couple were left alone to their ove, Strange love ! Strange passions rather that could in raptureus embraces forget the visions of murdered victims and the thought of future victims also ! We turn from them, and the dark night which shrouded their wedded loves, to new characters whom we are compelled to introduce in order to show how Harold Fordyce became involved in the Great Conspiracy to restore Prince Charles to the throne of England. Those who read our history carefully for this point will have revealed to them one of the greatest mysteries of those stirring and memor- able times ! , CHAPTER XXVIII, HAROLD'S MEETING WITH LIZZIE—THE FLIGHT OF LIZZIE AND LADY BLANCHE—THE STRANGE DISCOVERY—THE LADY OF BLACKHEATH, It will be remembered that when Harold For- dyce left Lord Raymond for dead on the cross road, he hurried forward towards a spot where a friendly gleam of light invited him. This light proceeded, as the reader will have essed, from the house where Lizzie and Tady lanche were concealed, and it was not long before the friends had met and explained every thing, No difficulty now arose to their departure, and within a few hours they had passed away towards the house of Lady Blanche, where her husband met her. He had scarcely missed her—scarcely heard from the servants the story of her disappearance, when Harold Fordyce brought her back to her ome, It is needless to. say how both Lizzie and Harold were pressed to stop. At first Harold refused. He was glad, however, that he consented. His remaining was the means of his becoming acquainted with one of the principal actors in the horrible tragedy of Blackheath. On the morning following the return of Lady Blanche to her home, John Emerson, the serving man, was dispatched to the village on an errand. To reach the village be had to pass through the churchyard, and just as he camé to the atile he started back in amazement. Near him was a grave just dug, It was deep, broad, yawning, and surrounded by heaps of clammy clay. Over its dreary mouth hung atree with heavy branches, and under the shadow of these knelt a - woman half fainting. He sprang over, So As he did so, she cast upon him an imploring glance. ‘‘ What is the matter, madam?” he said, respectfully. He could see she was a lady. Her clothes torn, as if in a recent struggle, and mud-stained, yet proved her to be above the common order. ‘Oh! I am faint and nearly dead,” she said ; “if you are a man with common humanity in your breast take me to some place of refuge.” ‘‘ Near us,’’ said John Emerson, the serving man, “is the house of Lord Villiers, I am his servant. He will gladly give you shelter.” The name seemed to infuse fresh strength into the lady's form, and she rose to her feat. “That name again,” she cried, “ Lord Villiers.” A smile broke over her pale lips, and as she smiled you could recognise her. She was the daughter of the old man who had been murdered by the mysterious assassin on Blackheath. ‘““Teke me at once to him,” she said, “take me at once ; he 1s a good and trusty friend.” With the lady leaning heavily on his arm, dobn Hmerson began to retrace his steps towards Villiers’ house. She was evidently suffering fsom severe pain, and when at length she reached her place of refoge, the colour died out of her face, and she fainted away ere she could explain her name or her position. When she recovered, however, she told her story to eager listeners. The old man who had been murdered was her father. He had been proceeding towards the Royalist meeting on Blackheath, to endeavonr to dissuade his friends from going on in the mad attempt, when he was assailed by him whom the young girl knew only as the Shadow, which had taken the shape of Frank Leslie, the armourer—who had murdered, robbed, and betreyed in his name, Her own name was Fordyce—Ellen Fordyce, the daughter of Lord Henry Fordyce. At the name, all in the room started. ‘‘Fordyce!"" said Harold, in astonishment, ‘‘that is my name.” ‘Your name!” exclaimed Ellen. ‘Are you, then, the son of Lord Eustace Fordyce, my uncle, who disappeared so long, long ago?” Harold shook his head. * Alas !" said Harold, “I know not my father. To me, at any rate, he is lost.” ‘‘ What is your Christian name?” asked Lady Ellen, after a pause. “ Harold.” ‘¢ Harold—Harold! the name ia familiar,’” she said, pressing her hand to her brow, “I must collect my thoughts. Perhaps, in my old home, I may discover a secret which will enable us to find our friends, and defeat our enemies.” And now, leaving Lady Ellen in the care of Harold Fordyce, we will turn to the struggle for the Restoration, and see how the Apprentices of old London had traitors once more in their camp. [END OF BOOK THE FOURTH. |] GOVE OOO