The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 393: what you’re looking at

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

——_—— ee meer a HE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OR,” =< 4 o* 372 T through passages and archways in & manner similar to Gray’s Inn Square, From these archways, upon this evening, _ hurried several armed men, who, without being seen by the guard, which was set to watch Ben Firebrace, stowed themselves away in dark corners, where none could see them, For some half an hour they remained at their stations, Then, just as the hour of nine tolled out from a neighbouring clock-tower, there entered the square a tall man, wrapped in a cloak, This was the Man of Mystery—the secret assassin—the armourer’s double. He began the operations of the night by pacing slowly round the square, and whispering. as he passed by the several pickets, if so they may be termed, The last two followed him to within a short distance from the spot where Ben Firebrace was confined, and when within two or three yards he halted, while the two men crawled on hands and knees towards the two sleepy guardians who watched the door, . Meanwhile, within all was very still. I shall yield quietly f Come on, ye murderiog thieves, and see what strength there is yet left in the arm of wounded Ben Firebrace !” At this moment there was a rush of feet once more, and the inner door was burst open and three troopers sprang into the room, With them came about four or five appren- tices, and at the head of all was old Fordyce, “ Hurrah !” cried our gallant young hero. ‘* Apprentices to the rescue! Strike! Strike for justice! Ah,” he added, with fierce joy, ‘yonder cloaked figure I can tell in spite of his disguise! It is Quelf—the traitor !" While his friends formed a barrier round Ben Firebrace, which effectually prevented his being harmed in any way, Harold Fordyce singled out his old foe and once more their swords met at fierce combat. Grown now to manhood, and having the full play of nerves and muscles, which had even in boyhood been of iron, he cared not now for his ancient adversary, and awaited his onslaught with eager and pleasurable impatience. The masked men, however, were far from Ben Firebrace was seated in a large easy | being of the same minds. chair, while at his side sat Lizzie Woodhead They saw that their plan had failed. reading. Failed signally. Suddenly was heard a smothered cry for help, So they backed towards the door, which one then the scufiling of feet and the rush of armed | of them left half open. men, _Ben Firebrace, weak as he was, staggered to his feet and seized the trusty sword which hung above the wide and capacious chimney piece. Lizzie stood before him as if to prevent him from running into danger, her little gentle form looking strangely out of comparison with his tall and stalwart frame. Hardly had they assumed this position when the door was burst violently open, and several armed men rushed in. In a moment both saw that they were not soldiers of the Commonwealth, They were all habited in long cloaks and wore black masks. ‘What want you here?” cried Ben, as he flourished his long sword, “We come to arrest you,” cried the foremost ‘In whose name f”’ | *‘In the name of Charles II., King of Eng- land,” replied the other, Ben Firebrace laughed loudly. ‘‘Ha ! ha!” he cried, “ you come to arrest me in the name of a phantom, There is no King Charles II., and let us hope there never will be. Are ye phantoms, too? Come, let us see if there be any flesh and blood in ye.” “In mercy remember your wounds—your weakness !” cried Lizzie, imploringly ; ‘these men would murder you.” “Stand back, young woman,” cried the man ; “ your interference will do him no good. We do not wish to harm him, On the contrary, it is our bounden duty to take him safe and sound to our leader.” ‘“You suppose, them,” said Ben Firebrace; Their progress, however, was very slow. The troopers and the apprentices pressed them so hard that they could not look to see whither they were going, and they became jammed up in a compact mass near the doorway. Quelf and Harold, however, found their way out together into the open space before the ouse. Here they began and continued with fierce ardour to try for each other’s lives, The only light shed on them was that of the dull oil lamp which swung over the square, and the faint stream of radiance which followed forth from the room where the troopers and the masked men and the apprentices were still en- gaged in confused conflict. They had enough light, however, to see the gleam of each eye, and the flash of their bright swords. Both fought furiously. Yet Harold Fordyce, as of old, soon began to obtain an advantage. Angry at old, unrevenged wrongs—deter- mined to put an end, if possible, to the vile assassin who had so often been his enemy and the destroyer of his hopes and plans —he fought with coolness and resolute firmness, Quelf, on the other hand, fought with des- perate anger, Again and again he was wounded alightly in the arm or shoulder. Then, as a more desperate lunge than before ran him through the shou'der, he raised a wild cry of pain, In an instant a dark shadow passed between them. B putting Lizzie on one side, “ you suppose that { er GOVE OO O16S