The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 392: what you’re looking at

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

a we a 2 ; a ~ _ break a promise. 1 will be with you by noon to-morrow.” In another moment he quitted the room, and she was left alone. Harry Archer had strange thoughts in his mind as he departed. He meant to endeavour to cffect the cacape of Lord Leicester. But in his own heart he hoped he would fail in the attempt. He was in a strange mood—in fact, deter- mined to carry out his promise, and yet hoping that fortune would, somehow or another, leave to him the disposal of the exquisite Lady Grace Leicester. He had some trouble in making his way towards the Tower, It was very late when he atarted, and was compelled, of necessity, to disguise himself, to guard against those who were ever on the look-out for him and his eomrades. Notwithstanding, however, all his anxiety to ! have, as I have said, the disposal of Lady Leicester, he made aJl speed when once he had started, and in due time arrived at the “Golden Fleece,” which, as our readers have seen through- out our story, had been for years a rendezvous for Royalist conspirators, Here he put up bis horse, and passing up into & room—the one in which Simon Lawless had, on a previous occasion, met Sir Harry Vane and Colonel Ireton before the attempted execution of the armourer—sat down to await the coming of the dawn, He had not long to wait. The grey twilight which precedes the golden day soon made ita appehrance, and as soon as this hdd passed away and given place to the brighter sunlight, the street became filled with paseen gers and numerous Cavaliers who, perhaps, ad never before ventured into the strange locality, strolled down the street and sought refreshment at the hostelry. They were evidently there for the purpose of witnessing the execution. Now was Harry Archer's time. Anxious to save one who was acknowledged to be as big a rogue as himself, yet thinking of the beautiful creature whom chance had thrown in his way, and whom Leicester's death would leave completely at his mercy, he heaved a deep sigh, and took the direction of the Tower, It was with difficulty he could force his way through the press which we have before described as very dense around the Tower, But at length he reached the gateway, and rang the bell. , A solemn-lookiug trooper appeared in answer to the summons. “ What is it,” he said, “that you desire at an hour which to-day is most unseasonable ?”’ “ To see the condemned prisoner.”’ ‘Your pass, sir.”’ “It is a good one; it is from Colonel Ireton,” said Harry Archer, As he spoke, he thrust his hand into his € @ He withdrew it, however, with an exclamation of surprise and fear. THE WATCHWORDS OF OLD LONDON. ‘‘It is gone,” he said ; “by Heaven ! I have lost it on the road,” The trooper turned and glanced at him in } seeming mistrust, But the expression of his features quickly changed. There was no possibility of mistaking the beartfelt surprise and annoyance expressed in Harry Archer's face, “ Search elsewhere, comrade,” he said; “you have more pockets than one,” His advice was unnecessary, for Harry Archer was, even as he spoke, fumbling in every avail- able place for the lost paper, It was in vain. Fate had decreed that Lord Leicester should not be saved, and their last effort in his favour was stayed by the very one who, of all others, desired to secure his safety. It was in the struggle with Lady Grace for the kiss that the document had been lost. ‘‘Is there no possibility of entering without the pass ?” said Archer. The trooper shook his head. “None,” he said, “none; my orders are im- perative. I dare not permit you.” ‘ Would the governor see me?” ‘Remain here, and I will ask.” So saying, the trooper passed into the Tower, but in a few minutes he returned. ‘* No,” he said, ‘‘the governor cannot see youe Had you the order, he would willingly have seen you, but as you have no order, and as the last hour of the condemned s0 rapidly approaches, you must be content to depart.” Harry Archer said no more, but turning away, mingled with the crowd, whose upturned faces were all eagerly bent upon the scaffold. He saw the terrible ending of Lord Leicester's life, and then, with the others, hc passed away towards the subterranean cave where he had left Lady Grace. ‘‘ At least,” he thought, “if I have not saved him I have something to look forward to in the fact that I may win this beautiful being to be my own,” CHAPTER XVI. THE PROPOSAL FOR SECURING HOSTAGES— THE LETTBR OF PARDON—THE JOY OF THE LOVERS—-THE NIGHT ATTACK—THE TRAMP OF FEET WITHOUT—‘“ WHO COMES?” — HAROLD FORDYCE TO THE RESCUE |J—“ ON, ON, MY APRENTICES! STRIKE FOR JUS- TICE!” WE left Ben Firebrace under the tender care of Lizzie Woodhead, just when the assassin of Blackheath and Peter Quelf had glanced in upon them, and shrunk away, like the villains they were, into the darkness, It was upon the (third day after their visit, when the Unknown had hinted at the propriety of detaining him as a hostage, that a strange movement took place near the houre. The building, in one room of which Ben Firebrace was lying, férmed, with six others, one side of a large quadrangle, approached CGOMAEIOOKS wy $71 a > ee “yx ~ CO en em pd) ve oe a ; nt , =) lin