The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 389: what you’re looking at

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

368 THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. The gate of the Tower was opened, and they knew that the victim—the principal actor in the morning’s fearful drama, was about to come forth. | First came a body of horse, then two Paritan preachers chanting hymns, then Lord Leicester, dresssd in black, looking very pale, but stern and determined. After him marched the headsman, in black also, and masked. Then again there was a husb, and amid a silence only broken by the chanting of the ministers of religion, the melancholy cavalcade neared the scaffold. Leicester ascended with’a firm step the ladder by which he had to mount to the place of his atonement, One glance—a long, searching glance, he gave, and then he cast his eyes upon the floor. That one glance had n given for the purpose of ascertaining whether Lady Grace was among those closely-packed thousands. But no familiar face met his eyes, Not till he turned towards the man to whom was assigned the dread office of headsman. Then there was a recognition which startled him, and almost caused him to lose his presence of mind. The headsman slightly moved his mask, and Leicester knew the features at once. They were those of Simon Lawless ! “Once again we meet,” said Simon, solemnly ; ‘‘ for the last time !" “Yes,” said Leicester ; “ you have triumphed. Prepare, now, quickly, for such a scene as this had best be quickly over.” “ Kneel, I am ready,” said Simon Lawless. “T will kneel,” replied Leicester; “and as my king said before me, ‘ when I spread out my hands, strike |’ Remember, let no old animosity tempt you to lengthen the fulfilment of your terrible office, but strike strongly andjwith a will,’’ ‘My vengeance is past,” said Simon Lawless. ‘T am now but the fulfiller of the law's be- hests.”’ Leicester said no more. Seeing that he had done with speech for this world, the governor of the Tower, who was standing at the summit of the ladder, took out the parchment on which was written the sentence of the judges, and read it in a loud and formal voice. Leicester listened in’ silence, gazing, mean- while, down upon the ground. Then, when the governor had finished, he muttered a few words, then bowed to those around him, and to the eager crowd, hashed now in deadly expectancy, and then knelt, In another instant he knelt at the block, and Simon Lawless raised aloft his gleaming axe. The blow was then swiftly given, and Lord Leicester, the traitor, ceased to exist. The crowd burst into a roar and a groan, the bleeding head was held aloft, and then the coffin received the victim. Then the proceesion reformed, and took its way with a solemn tramp—tramp into the prison, and the crowd, without saying anything to each other, dispersed. So died one of the traitors of our story—a COLOURED PI NOTICE.—WITH NUMBER 83 WAS GIVEN AWAY ANOTHER BRAUTIFVL OTUBE Others will weeks. death too honourable by far for one who had lived such a life. And, meanwhile, what of his wife? Borne away swiftly, helpless across the dark moor, by men who looked upon her aga young cavalier worth the plucking, she found herself at length stopping before a strange-looking doorway, which seemed situated, as it were, in the aide of a high mound of earth. Here the men knocked loudly, and in a pecu- liar manner. In a few moments the doorway was opened by a tall, dark-featured man. ‘‘Hal ha!” he cried, “a prize I see, and a one,” “Truly, a good one,” replied one of the high- way robbers; ‘“‘but come, stand aside; let us ride in, and be careful, David, that the gate is well closed.” The man obeyed, and they led Lady Grace into a subterranean passage, which sloped downwards somewhat steeply. She knew not where she was. Could she have recoguised it, she would have known it as that place—that subterranean stable which we described in a very early number of our story. At the end of the long passage they alighted from their horses, and having assisted ber to do likewise, led her into a large underground room where a man was seated alone. He was a young man, not yet thirty, with dark curling hair, regular features, and a broad, manly figure—a man whe, despite the fierce expression too evident upon his features, was one whom women would admire, He glanced round hastily as the men entered. ‘What have we here?” he asked, with a peculiar amile. ‘A prisoner.”’ , *t Good,”’ reptied he, “leave him here, and I will question him.” The men were well disciplined, and obeyed on the instant. When the door was closed, the stranger lit an extra lamp, and surveyed Lady Grace, who, gagged and bound as she was, could not speak, but stoed up proudly before him, As he gazed another strange smile overspread his lips, and he advanced towards her. © Firat,” he said, “ I will take away your arms, and render you incapable of doing harm, and then I will remove the gag from yonr mouth, and you can question me.” He took Lady Grace by her little hand, and led her to a seat. Then he took from her her sword, then her pistols, and then placed his hand in the breast of her coat to relieve her also of the keen dagger, whose handle he could just catch sight of, As he did so his hand came in contact with the warm bosom now fluttering like the waves of the sea. “IT thought so,’”’ he said, aloud, “a woman in disguise. Now, my pretty one, to remove your hat. Ab! what glossy curls! Now to release your arms, and now the gag is gone. Speak!” All this was done with a celerity and a daring impudence which astounded her. “ Who are you, sir?” ashe cried, in an indignant voice, as she reclosed the brca+t of her doublet, The stranger bowed. follow in a few NG GOVE OO © COLT