The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 375: what you’re looking at

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

They both, indeed, rushed forward at the same moment, and as they neared one another in the centre, Ralph Lawson leaped amidst the flaming furnace, It was a moment of terrible suspense for all. As he ran towards the two girls, the whole of the spectators saw the state of affairs. They understood that only one of the young girls could escape, fcr by the time that the one was saved the other would inevitably be plunged into the fiery furnace, The girls too well knew their position, and glanced at one another in this horrible orisis as if to discover in each other’s faces their coming fate. Ralph Lawson, as he came to the point where he could save one at least of them, halted for an instant, and hesitated. . Well he might. The two girls were both dear to him. His wayward heart had been assailed in its weak point by Mercy Marner—his heart really had not lost all its allegiance to Lucy Rayner. He was saved, however, the trouble of making any choice, Without a word Lucy retognised the diffi- culty, and was prepared to aid him in extricat- ing himself from it. She suddenly stooped forward, pushed Mercy towards her lover, so that she fell into his arma, and then with a murmured “ God bless you,” ran away amid the smoke and flame, What could Ralph do? The lovely creature who had turned his head was in his arms, and he must save her. He rushed back, therefore, amid a roar from the assembled crowd—rushed back in time to see Old Rayner brought half-fainting from the wreck of his home, and calling frantically for his child. ‘“ Save her! oh save her ! in mercy save her |" he shrieked. Ralph looked eagerly back. ‘‘ Lucy, poor Lucy, what must her feelings be now, wrapped in the coils of the flames ?” She was nowhere to be seen. “Oh God!” he cried, “Oh! Lucy, Lucy! where are you ?” As he spoke the old jeweller seized hia arm fiercely; “ My child,” he eried, “my poor child, Lucy ; you have sacrificed her life to save another.” “It is false, it is falee,” exclaimed Ralph, hoarsely. ‘I rushed to save life—no matter whe came first, Mercy Marner fell into my arms; and I rushed with her from the fiery furnace, What could I do more?” ‘You have done more,” said the old man, “You have left my child to perish.” Ralph was deadly pale and trembling, He had relinquished Mercy Marner to the care of her uncle, and he stood now gazing at the flames, It was all one roaring glow now—no form of anything could be seen. All was white heat, oppressing and wearying every one, “ WhatcanI dof What can I do ?” he cried, and wrung his hands piteously. And a voice seemed to come out of the furnace to him—* Forget me !” Then the two buildings fell in with a crash, THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, and the walls and the timbers were one thass of smouldering ruins, and the last hope died out from the breasts of all. The old man gave up hope last of all. The first frantic grief over, he became stern and unmoveable, and no one could induce him to quit the spot. When, however, the last flame had leaped up, and there was no hope of any living thing being present in the mass of horrid ruin, he moved away, muttering— ‘She died for some one, and that some one I'll find out to destroy.” As for Ralph he was like one bereft of his senses. He did not follow Simon Rayner. He seemed afraid to, He was jast wondering whether he should go or whether he should follow Mercy Marner and her uncle te the hospitable neighbour’s who had given them shelter, when a rough hand was placed upon his shoulder. Ralph started round excitedly. Anything at this moment was calculated to upset him, Tt was the Assassin of Blackheath. ' * Young man,” he said, “a word with you.” Ralph made a gesture of impatience. ‘SWhat want you with me now ?” he said, “I had imagined that our interview for the night was over.” “Truly,” replied the other, sneeringly ; “truly Prince Charles's friends have chosen a sorry leader for the Apprentices. You are beginning already to repent of your bargain.” “ T am not, only I bave suffered a t sorrow. Ons whom I love is dead—dead by a terrible fate, and how then can I be expected to be happy, or to think even of other things ?” “Tt is of that I come to warn you,” said the man, * a stern voice ; “ you are now one of ns, you are bound to serve King Charles the Second, and you cannot recede, To-morrow night you must meet me near the ‘ Oak Tree ’ in Calderaton Street at nine o'clock. I will then introduce you to one who has lately returned from Holland and brings us strange ard good news of the Royalist cause.” “ Who is he?’ “Peter Quelf.”’ “ Peter Quelf, the assassin |” exclaimed Ralph, in undisguised amazement; “ has he then returned to England to disgrace your cause f”’ The stranger frowned. ‘He has returned,” replied he, “ but it will be as well for you and all belonging to you to show as little hostility as possible tohim. He is an approved friend of the cause, and has the confidence of the king and his friends.” Ralph made no reply to this. He only said, ‘“ Well, 1 will meét you,” and then walked gloomily away. “ Strange cause, poor cause this,” he muttered to himeelf, as he did so, “ that has meed of such instruments as these.” His heart was full of terrible misgivings and remorse as well. He had been warned by Lucy, poor murdered Lucy, and yet he had neglected her words, And now ! In what position did he stand ? On the one side he had lost the love and the EDOO