The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 368: what you’re looking at

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

Pd (Fay WW ’ THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. men, and hurried to the subterranean passages of Lovaine House. The place where, upcn waking, he found him- self, was so much like others which we have had to describe under similar circumstances, that we forbear to say more than that it was dark and damp and unpleasant and by no means fit for the habitation of a human being. There was not even a pile of straw to lie upon or a bench, and he had to sink down to rest upon the cold and clammy earth. Under ordinary circumstances he would have foreborne to do this, His strength, as a rule, wassuch that he might easily have stood during the whole night ; but he had been weakened by the force of the knock- down blow which had rendered him for a time almost insensible, and he had moreover regolved to reserve his powers for one sapremé effort in the morning, He kept watch until the dawn began to glimmer, ; Not thaf he could see it, . Not a ray of light indeed illumined his cell. It was completely under ground, and no light came to it except that which was brought in by those who visited him. He counted the hours pretty well, however, Before he became Captain of the Ironsides he had often had’ to mount gnard, and he knew, therefore, how to count the hours, When it seemed to him to be about ten in the morning, he heard a sound as of a man stumbling along an uneven pavement, and pre- sently the key was turned in the lock and the door opening admitted a tall, strongly built man, In his hands he carried a tray on which was some food. n Firebrace waited not to think of conse- quenoes. : He felt irritated and angered at his confide- ment and he resolved to make a bold stroke for liberty, Without allowing the man to speak, he dashéd at him, upsetting the food and dishes, and atretching hifn senseless on the ground. Then he seized the bunch of keys which the man had left dangling, and rushed away up the passage, The affair had taken buta minute, and there had been no noise. So when Ben Firebrace reached the extreme end of the corridor there was no one to oppose im. Fé hoh¢é in which he was confined was not guarded by troops, but only watched by a few retainers ; and when, therefore, he reached the grounds, the door to which the man had left open, there was nothing to prevent his flying and seeking safety beyond the walls. Why, then, did he not fly ? Why did he halt suddenly and then, with drawn sword, turn oncé more in the direction of the house ? | Within those walls still remained all that was dear to him in Hfe. Without Lizzie how could he éven dream of making good his Might t Mrs. Carton had been seemingly a friend. Now, however, that her character had been _~ © es on” 6s le rw 2 ere Tw eree = 0 fally exposed, he felt truty that there was no. safety even for Lizrie’s honotr. Hastening, therefore, forward with drawn sword, as I have said, he rushed into thé house, and surprised Mrs, Carton sitting with Lizzie at break fast, Lizzie was pale and downcast. Her eyes were swollen as if with weeping, and her whole appearance was that of a person who was & prey to the deepest despair. She sprang np with delight as she behe&i Ben Firebrace, whilé Mrs. Carton rushed towards the bell rope. Bat Ben Firebrace was too quick for her. Dashing across the room he flang her upon the couch, and in a few moments had tied her hands and legs and forced a gag in her month. This occupied only a few moments, and then Lizzie and Ben fied across the garden. They were not long in reaching the wall, and the strong arms of Ben soon lifted his mistress over into the road, along which they sped with eager speed. Pursuit would have been useless, for on passing some few hundred yards frem the hovge th reached a plantation and atruck boldly across towards London. CHAPTER VII, LORD LEICESTER AND BEN FIREBRACE—THE BTAB IN THE DARK--THE MURDER~—THE ACCUSATION—THE ARREST—THE TRIAL BY ORDEAL--THE RESULT OF THE TRIAL—THE PRISONER IN THE DARK TOWER. IT was on the following morning that Ben Fire- brace set out with several of his men in the direction of Lord Lovaine’s honse to ensure tire release of Alicia. In proceeding thither he was compelled to pass near to the house in which the marriage of Grace Cowley and Leicester had just faken place. As he neared the spot he h loud orice. They were evidently the cries of some one in distress, He could scarcely make out from whence they proceeded, but they seemed to come from a plantation which rose thickly behind the house and was overshadowed by heavy frees, The cries seemed to proceed from an old man, for although the voice was loud it was at the same time harsh and sbrill. His men at this time had passed on ahead at his direction and order, to take their station at a point where they could watch for Lord Lovaine and secure him before he reached his house. He was, therefore, alone. He had no fear, however, in the matter, but trusted, as ho always did, to his prudence and his great atrength to take him out of the scrape. So he advanced cautiously, wading through the high grass and undergrowth and keeping a good look out. He had at last reached a spot where an open- ing in the bushes enabled him tocatch a glimpse | of a highly ornamental garden. He had just glanced in admiration at the beautifil flowers and the well laid vélvet turf, when his eyes caught a sight which at once drove away all other thotghts, Upon one of the beds, lying amid the fliwerg, ee et Onl ene= COME book - ) —-_ ; \ — a, ee ee CO