The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 377: what you’re looking at

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

e S 356 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR, prentices would pass at once into the hands of Peter Quelf. Waving his sword round his head, therefore, and advancing from his seat among his new friends, he exclaimed loudly— “Courage. If we are assailed to-night we are unlawfully assailed. We have discussed no business—we have uttered no treason. We will defend, with our lives, our liberty of action ; and I, for one, am ready to die in its defence.”’ A suppressed cheer greeted this first assump- tion of authority on the part of Ralph Lawson, and it had hardly died away when Peter Quelf suddenly closed the casement, and returned amongst them, “TI feel convinced we are about to be at- tacked,” cried he, “but how, or in what way, I cannot conceive,” “Then,” said Ralph, “I will tell you what we must do. We must summon the landlord— let tankards of ale be prought, and let the door be left open to all. Then, if sitting here peace- fully, we are attacked by any one, we can call in the aid of the watch.’ et Quelf’s countenance fell at this propo- sition. The watch and the soldiery had long since become obnoxious to his eyes, But he was spared the trouble of being called upon to avoid the emissaries of the law. As Ralph spoke, there was aloud clamour at the door, and a voice crie 6“ n, in the name of the Commonwealth !" “By Heaven! we are betrayed,” cried the Unknown. Then he advanced towards the door, ‘“‘ Who is there?” he demanded, ‘Those who demand an entrance in the name of Cromwell and the Commonwealth, and who seek the person of a traitor and rebel, named Peter Quelf.” The dwarf knew well the voice of the er. It was the voice of Harold Fordyce. His eyes at once wandered to the window. His first idea was naturally escape, for he re- membered well his last encounter with the Young eppPrentice. But this chance was not given him. The door suddenly gave way to hard preasure from without, and in a moment Harold Fordyce and his companions swarmed into the room, ‘Ah I” cried Harold, as he beheld the dwarf, ‘there stands the arch-traitor, Seize him |” But the task was no easy one, Ralph Lawson and the apprentices rushed at once forward, and formed with their swords a glittering barrier between the dwarf and his enemies. ‘‘You are mad, Ralph Lawson,’ cried Max Bowden, “to defend yonder assassin. We seek to do you and your friends no harm, but yonder traitor must be our prisoner, even if your lives are taken to obtain him.” For a moment Ralph Lawson was completely stunned with surprise. ‘“We seek to do you and your friends no harm,” said Max, How about the Unknown, who was Harold’s deadliest foe? A glance round explained all, He had disappeared ! ‘ We were met here,” said Ralph, “ for peace- ful recreation; you have interrupted us, No matter who he may be, one of our number shall not be taken from among us.” ‘This is your decision ?”’ “Tt is.” “Then the consequences are Of your own seeking,” cried Harold. ‘On, lads, and seize the traitor !’’ | The men with him, who belonged to Ben Firebrace’s company, at once advanced to the attack. But it was in vain. Suddenly an arm was stretched out, as it were from the wall, the lamp was extinguished, and dashed in the faces of the Young Apprentice and his friends, and the voice of the Unknown was heard exclaiming, “This way, for your lives |” They nested no further asking, but hurried in a body towards the voice. Before Harold and his companions had re- covered from their astonishment, they had dis- appeared, and had rushed down a back staircase into the street. ‘ Disperse,” cried the Unknown. “Let us meet again at the ‘Three Pigeons,’ to-morrow night at eleven.” Then, turning to Ralph, he said, ‘Come with me; I will show where we can secure a hostage.” Taking Ralp ‘’spalm in his clammy hand, he led him rapidly towards the Tower. On reaching a street near the old fortress, he pointed to a house whose door was open. At the door were two sentinels, and within, a sick man lay in a bed, by the side of which sat a girl reading. axhese were Ben Firebrace and Lizzie Wood- “We will secure him to-morrow,” said the Unknown, as he led Ralph once more away. CHAPTER XII. THE STRANGE LOVER—THE STOLEN MEETINGS —THE FAILING HEART. LET us now turn to Ralph Lawson’s mistress. ‘¢ And so you would fain persuade me, that after an acquaintance of ten minutes, you love me ?’ ‘To be sure I would. Is it.possible to do otherwise? How long a time would you give me, in which to see that you were beautiful ?” ‘¢T don't know.” Such was the whispered conversation that took place beneath one of the majestic elms of St. James's park, upon a soft and tender summer's evening, when the extreme heat of the day had tempered down to a sweet delicious languor, and when a refreshing air was playing with the rustling leaves, The young girl, for such she was, who had made the last remark, was rather below the middle height, but even the cloak thatshe wore, and in the ample folds of which she was s0 wrapped up, could not conceal the elegance of her form, One hand, which just appeared a: it held one of the folds of the cloak, was of daszling white- ness, and of childlike beanty. GOVE OO © IAS Fe o