The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

THE YOUNG APPRENTICE. Once here he pointed to the opposite corner, ‘You see that wall?” he said. ~ “T do.” “Well, beyond that is the guard-room where the soldiers pile their arma in peace and prepare them in war. Night and day there have been sentinels there, and escape, therefore, by such a passage as that, was simply an absurdity to think of while they remained there. Now, however, it is different—they are all away, defending the house against those who throng around it. By a single push I can make the passage clear as soon as I am assured that there is no one there to interfere with me.” He knelt down as he spoke, and applied his ear to the wall. Then he rose triumpbantly, “We are free to go,” he said; ‘‘ within there you will find abundance of arms. Take what you want, and hasten, for time in such enter- prises as these can i)] be spared.” While he spoke, the old man threw off his long gown, and appeared in a black velvet doublet and hose of the same material. Then nearing the wall, he applied his shoulder, and a huge piece of stone swung round, and fell with a deafening noise into the guard-room. The people without, however, were far too busily engaged to notice any such disturbace. They had found their match. | The apprentices and the river boys wer crowding up on one side, as the trooper had said, and the soldiers, headed by Simon Lawleas, were crowding on the other. Among the latter, moreover, was a giant form, whom Harold would soon have recognised, had he been on that side of the building. This was Frank Leslie, the armourer. Wherever was the thickest of the fight there was he ; wherever chance led him towards the spot where Lord Raymond showed his black feathered hat, thither he rushed. His huge aword was swung around his head, fiercely dealing death and destruction upon all upon whom it fell. Pale in face, with his white lips compressed, his eyes fixed in stony anger, and his giant arma incessantly raised, he was a terrible sight to see. There was ‘in his every look, his every action, a deadly resolution. He was there to cut hhis way to the place where his daughter was confined, or to die in the attempt. His mind bad long since been disabused of the idea that to Harold Fordyce the disappear- ance of his daughter was owing. He knew from Simon Lawless what part Harold had taken in the matter, and his mind was almost as eagerly bent upon saving his ore young apprentice as upon saving his own Cc Simon Lawless was at his side defending him from chance strokes, and urging on his men to the fray. - ““We have them!” cried Simon Lawless, as, after superhuman efforts, they forced in the outer gates, ‘“ We shall have them now |" ‘“No, by Heaven !” exclaimed the armourer, “* See, the smoke i:suing from yonder window ! The house is on fire !"” OUR SUBSCRIBERS are requested to ed their Prize Tickets until they are called In by otice. Meanwhile, Harold and the old man had entered the guard-room, and there possessed themselves of what they required out of the surplus arms left there by the soldiers, “Now,” said Harold’s new guide, “we must make our escape.” ‘Not so,” returned the Young Apprentice. ‘‘There is one in this building whom I must save, no matter what peril I encounter.” The old man smiled. ‘Save yourself,” he.said, “In such an hour as this there is no time to think of saving others.” ‘T must! I must!” exclaimed Harold, “Withja these walls is confined the daughter of my master. To save her I risked my life and lost my liberty, and I will not desert her now. Leave me to myself if you will, and accept my most sincere gratitude for all you have done; but save her I will, or die!” The old man’s face assumed an expression of gloom. . * Love, and so young,” he cried. “ But never mind. There is no time to lose, I will aid you. I know this place, perhaps, better than you. Follow me.” With these words, the venerable prisoner rushed ont, with his long white hair streaming over his shoulders, and hurried along the river- terrace, where a deadly struggle was° taking place “This way,’’ he cried, as he clove to the chin @® man who strove to oppose him, and darting through an open doorway, he entered a wide corridor. On the floor of this corridor lay a man des. perately wounded, He was a Royalist trooper. Instantly Harold rushed up to him, and put his sword to the man’s throat, “ Tell me, tell me at once,” he said, “whero Mistress Leslie ia confined.” The man shook his head. Though iighting for a bad cause, he was not like his master, a traitor ; and, even at this ex- treme moment, he did not care to betray his trust, ‘*T don’t know,” he said. ‘Tell me, or my sword ends your life,” re- turned Harold, pressing the point of his weapon into his neck. “There, in the third room from this,” said the man, seeing he had no other chance of sav- ing himself; “cross the landing yonder, and the third door is the door of her chamber. I warn you it is by no means a weak one.” “YT doubt you not,” cried Harold, rushing eagerly away. But he had no time to leap across the landing. Ere he reached it, just as he had caught sight of the door which now alone se him from the one he loved, a blinding volume of smoke obscured everything; a loud crackling was heard, and the floor of the corridor beyond burst into a sheet of flame. It burst out so flercely and so suddenly, that for an instant Harold’s onward progress was stopped. “By heavens!” he cried, “this is indeed a fearful calamity. She will be destroyed ere any aid can reach her !” COTE OO \G eS CO 7, ten ~ lin