The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

wishing rather to permit his enemy to escape unhart, than by wasting time over him lose the chance of once more obtaining possession of Blanche, As we have seen, the pursuit was useless, The horses which bore the fugitives seemed as if they knew what weighty consequences depended on their exertions, and entered, as it were, into the spirit of the flight. Once more London Bridge was reached and crossed, and while the far-distanced pursuers gave up their pursuit in despair, the young husband conducted his lovely bride to their beautiful home beyond the village of Charing. CHAPTER XIX, THE DAGGER WITH THE BLACK CROSS. ANOTHER two weeks passed away. Lord Clement Villiers, restored to his lovin wife by the courage and address of Haro) Fordyce, had been to the house of the armourer, and held with the giant a long and earnest con- versation, while be had brought 4 splendid ring from Blanche to present as & keepsake to the Young Apprentice. Everything was quiet dufifig this short period. There was a cessation of inysterious interviews and mysterious letters. Thé armourer seemed more joyful and at e than he had been for some time, aud Haro himself forgot much of his tumulttiots life in the sweet companionship of Ettie Leslie. On the evening of the fifteenth dey, havin retired to rest somewhat eafly, he lay in thinking over the strange circutistances that edged in his young life, until he dozed off into & heavy alumber ; for hours he dreamed of mahy & past scene, and seemed, as it were, to anticipate many future stirring incidents. Suddenly, in the midst of a wild tumult, wherein he was rescuing Ettie again from some enemy, he was awakened by a scraping noise; and rousing himself, he saw that some one was endeavouring to open the casement from without. The moon waé sending her silver beams int¢ the chamber, atid as Harold’s eyes became mo accustomed to the light, he saw that it was Quel the dwarf. Since so many dangers had beset his path, Harold had never slept without keeping some weapon within his reach, and he now d tightly the handle of a long knife which was suspended by »e, string to the head of his bed. hen feigning not to be awakened, he watohed the movements of his old enemy. The dwarf was in no hurry. He desired, evidently, to enté? the room with- out being seen, Presently the window was thrown up and he glided in, a long knife glistening in his hand. Eagerly— holding the knife beneath the bed- clothes, and keeping himself in readiness for a spring—the Young Apprentice watched the movements of his adversary. But there was evidently in the movements of Peter Quelf this night a deeper design than | mere murder, Advancing the table, he struck the dagger he held into 9 " ee e table, and as he did so, and THE YOUNG APPRENTICE; OB, passed away, Harold could see that a roll of paper was attached to it. nce only when he had completed his task the dwarf glanoed at the bed. Bat it was only to see if the Young Appren- tice was asleep, for he walked rapidly away towards the door, and opened it gently: This he sacceeded doing, and, passing along the corridor without, he made his way towards the room of the giant armourer. As soon as he was out of hearing, Harold rose from his bed and followed. He su that there might be some mur- serous design in Quelf's mind against Frank e, Bat in this case it was as before. A dagger was stuck into the table with a ae ed to it, and Quelf prepared to re- Hanging back, Harold once more concealed himself beneath the bed-clothes, and the dwarf, @fitering the room, passed out of the window, leaving it ‘Seo, . As he did 90, Harold r006, &hd, approaching it, cfied, at he saw Peter Quelf descending by a ; I have watched you; and let us seo there is no treachery.” “ Let ts see you obey the sdmmoti«,” answered Qnelf ; “ your life and the life of those you love depend of: it,” g tiie casement Hareld iit his lamp, and the paper, which wae a rig { dagger with a hatdle in the shape of a Gross. This letter was & 6O0mmatid from elf for aay to appear before membett e Black 84, * At the time appointed Hareld set out towards his destibation. He cated little for the fact Stat he Was alone. The aresoaten the giant Léeslie—wis to be and he dobted not the stimmons indluded tem indi also many of wht thelr apprentice ffiends started befete the hont Which was speci- fied, and arrived at the old komte some time he was ex Hiding himself in dark cornér w he 1d tiot be see, he awaited the arri his ends, Knowing the place weil he could, of coarse, conceal himself and ‘observe their movements without seen, Presently a heaty walk along the street Made him start up on watch. He kiew at once who it wai, Je Was Frank Lede. Harold ran acrom’ the road at onos and spoke to him. . For an instant the afmouref, not knowing whe it was, prepared to act in the defensive, for Harold was now growing tall and big, and did not at all resemble the youthful wanderer whom the Man Without a Name-had introduced to his house. Then he recollected himself. “ Ha | Harold,” he cried, “ what do you here?” “1 ask the same question, master,” said Ha- rold, smiling. “I expect we are here on the same n ‘And what is that 2” EDOO BY <S) _ CO