The Argosy — page 386: what you’re looking at

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

The Village Blacksmith. 365 wardly chuckling at his own cleverness, Mark slipped past the door and down the stairs; but on reaching the back-door he found the key had been taken out of it, so that he could not open it. He went round to the hall-door and it was while he was there that Lion barked, otherwise he would have heard him. But he found it impos- sible to unbolt the front-door without making a noise, so he decided he must escape by thescullery-window. This was a sash window, close to the ground and protected by shutters, which he easily opened. This done, he threw out his bundle, and then, having put on his boots, vaulted out of it into Captain Raleigh’s arms, where he met with a much warmer reception than he anticipated or desired. As they walked up the hill that night Reuben had seen a danger- ous light in the Captain’s dark brown eyes, and now and then a twitch or two about his mouth which the blacksmith knew meant that he did not intend Mark’s punishment to be slight if he caught him. It was not; the blows fell thick and fast as Raleigh held his victim by the collar like a dog, and the lithe, strong riding-whip curled round Mark’s body and legs till he howled for mercy like a whipped hound. Reuben heard the cries from the front of the house, and arrived just in time to see Raleigh administer the final lash as he let the howling Mark go. ‘There, you scoundrel, that is the most satisfactory piece of work I have done for many a day. So you were running away, were you? We will wait till he has recovered a little, Reuben, and then we will take him down to the police-station for the night. Meanwhile, I'll go round and wake someone to come and fasten this window, if you will keep guard over that creature,” said Captain Raleigh, and his tone of utter contempt cut even the wretched Mark, who was rubbing his smarting sides and legs and dancing with pain. He recovered himself somewhat on finding he was left alone with Reuben, and, resolving to throw himself on the blacksmith’s pity as a last resource, began to implore him to let him escape before the Captain returned. “ Let me go, Mr. Foreman ; let me go; for the love of Heaven, let me go.” ** No, Mark, it’s better for you to be punished here for a few years than hereafter for ever,” said Reuben. Mark felt in his waistcoat pocket and pulled out five sovereigns. “Mr. Foreman, these are all I have in the world ; you are welcome to them if you'll let me go before the Captain comes back,” said Mark, tendering the sovereigns to Reuben most reluctantly ; but his case was he felt a most desperate one. “What do you take me for, Mark? Do you think I would do wrong for the sake of five pounds?” said Reuben scornfully. ‘Mr. Foreman, remember how I loved your Janet: for her sake let me go,” said Mark. Reuben had been standing with folded arms, leaning against the door-post, till Mark uttered Janet’s name; when he sprang forward, GomilGaooks (SO) An