Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 332 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

"a eee ee 2 ms * 4 . : - ~ = rm ~ er _ _< So = SEE 3 -_— =e. ee ewer — ~ = => —_ —— oe = ee oe — SSS eee — oe “s = —_ —_o —s : ee - - 20 it couldn’t ha’ been nothin’ nateral,” said the Gypsy sullenly. ‘ First thing I knowed, I ’eard ’im, a-comin’ this way, and I ’ollered to *im to ‘alt, and ’e didn’t ’alt, so | ups and lets im ’aye it. And then ’e goes hup in a flame of fire, for all the world like a flash of lightnin’, yer honor; and that’s all I knows q oc i.” The description was that of the mysterious being that had puzzled them so long; and George asked eagerly: “Which way did it go?” Spring-Heel Jack. or ee ae ee -—™ CHAPTER XXIX, MORE MYSTERIES, Tue injury that Howard had received was not severe enough to deprive him entirely of his senses; but his head swam and he felt so weak that he could not stand on his feet. As he sunk at the side of the house, he heard nothing but the retreating footsteps of the mysterious visitor, and the patter of the rain on the gravel walk. The soldiers had gone to their posts, and the struggle in which he had been engaged Spring was in the act of pointing over to- | had been conducted so silently that no one ward Bushey Park, when a blinding flash of | had noticed it, as far as he could know. real lightning made everything round them There he was, by the side of the brick as clear as day, and it was almost instantly | wall, under the window from which he had followed by aclap of thunder that seemed to shake the earth. Then down came the rain in torrents, and the darkness became _ intense, in the midst of which they heard a shout for help, not far off, in the tones of one of the soldiers. The next moment, out of the darkness in the direction they had heard the shout, came the well-remembered figure of Spring-Heel Jack, in a flame of fire, running and leaping in the way the figure had always been seen before, and from which it had acquired the name it bore. It was running swiftly across their path into the recesses of Bushey Park, and George hastily cried out: ‘* Fire at him! Ten pounds to the man that brings him down!” Then came an irregular volley from the men, in the midst of which the figure van- ished into the darkness The rain, lightning and thunder, became so fierce that pursuit was out of the question, and they doit only let the disturber go, satisfied that he had done no damage this time, so far as they knew, Howard went back to his humble quarters, wet to the skin, and was about to enter them when it occurred to him to take a look round the pavilion, where the Balcarras family and _ Rose resided. He went that way in the darkness and tempest, and had arrived just under the win- dow from which he had last seen Rose, when, to his intense astonishment and in- credulous amazement, up from the ground, beneath the window, started the ill-omened figure of the monster and flashed a flame of fire in his face. But this time the young officer was. pre- pared for the intruder. He ducked his head to avoid the flame the other cast at him and dashed forward, clutch- ing at. the figure, without time to draw his sword. The next moment Spring-Heel Jack and he were close grappled together. It was a man that he had hold of, and he was both strong and active, beyond the com- mon. Howard was strong and a good wrestler; but he found that he had met his match at Jast; for the other twined like an eel in his arms, and wrestled with the fury of de- svair, After the first flame that he had sent into his assailant’s face, he seemed to be incap- able of further mischief in that way; but he made such a_ tremendous struggle, that George could not get on him the grip that he was trying for, while the other had_gradual- ly got his hands up, and grasped George round the throat. In the silence and darkness—for the guard was nowhere near, and the young officer dis- dained to call for help—the two struggled together like madmen. hen George felt something like a knife, cutting at the side of his throat, and in the instinct of pain he let go his hold for an in- stant. He tried to guard himself from further harm by drawing back and delivering a blow with all his Paice at the face of the foe he had met. But, in the instant that he let go, the other ‘did the same, and fled like a deer in the dark- ness and rain. George pursued for a few steps, and then saw the futility of what he was doing. He stopped and heard the retreat- i EN ee . seen Rose last, and he felt the blood dripping from a wound in his neck, how severe he knew not. If Spring-Heel Jack should come back, he reflected, he would not be able to defend himself; for he began to think he was severe- ly hurt, perhaps fatally. He disdained to call for help, and lay there at the side of the house, in the drenching rain, till he began to feel his weakness pass- ing away. Then he rose slowly, supporting himself by the side of the house and tried to walk away. The first step made him stagger, and he nearly fell again. A second rest and a second attempt en- abled him to get up and slowly walk away to his quarters, where he arrived and stag- gered in, finding the lamp he had left on the table still burning, while the shower that had come down, so opportunely for Spring-Heel Jack, was passing away to the south, and the stars were shining through the rifts in the dark clouds. It was all the young officer could do to get to a chair and row himself down, without fainting outright; but, after a little rest, he felt better and was able to examine himself by the light of the lamp, and find just how much he had been hurt. A long gash had been made at the side of his neck, close to the jugular vein, and the blood had run down, soaking his uniform; but on the cut itself it was already drying, and he thought that the worst was over. It occurred to him that it was strange that his orderly Spring had been taken by the ser- geant of the guard for duty, and he went to the room where he had left Spring asleep, before he went out. There, to his great astonishment, he saw the Gypsy himself, stretched out on his rude pallet, fast asleep. George stirred him, and Spring woke up instantly, without rubbing his eyes. , ny sat up on his pallet, and asked respect- ully: ‘“Does your honor want anything of me?” And he saluted as he spoke. “Yes,” was the reply; ‘‘howdid you come out of here, and go on post?” Spring looked bewildered, and got out of bed, to stand before his officer and salute n, “Your honor is pleased to’ave a little fun,” he said slowly. ‘‘I ain’t been out of bed since your honor sent me there, Leastwise, not to my knowledge, that is ” George looked at the Gypsy, who returned the gaze with perfect calmness. “Do you mean to say that you were not on post by the edge of Bushey Park, and that you did not fire at something, and, after that, tell me that the sergeant had taken you from your bed, and made you stand guard?” The tone in which George asked the question showed that he was angry; but he was too weak to indulge it, as he would have otherwise But Spring answered steadily: “Not to my knowledge, your honor, I ain’t done nothin’ of the sort.” George bit his lips. ‘ Very well, then, go and find the doctor at once, and tell him that I have had a cut, and need his help.” Spring at once began to throw on his clothes with great haste, and George went back to the table by which he had been sit- ting, and thought over what motive the Gyp- sy could have to tell the audacious lie to which he had just given utterance. Before he could settle it in his mind, Spring came out, and, as he passed, George said faintly: “Go quick. I am hurt.” Then he was left alone, and the sight of a bottle of wine on the table, where it had been left since his dinner, reminded him that he was still very weak, and that a little might revive him for awhile. With a trembling hand he poured outa glassful and swallowed it, feeling almost in- stantly revived and invigorated. By the time he had become more com- posed, the step of the doctor was heard on the walk outside, and Tatham entered the room, saying, in his jolly way, as he came in: ‘“Well, well, and what has happened now to my most noble duke?” His face grew graver as he saw the pale- ness of the young officer, and he examined the wound in silence. When he had finished the examination he said: ‘You won't die this time; but a little more and the jugular vein would have been cut, and it would have been all up with you. As it is, you have had a narrow escape, but the wound is a trifle, except for the loss of blood.” ‘Tt makes me feel weak enough,” said Howard, rather ruefully. ‘‘That is because you did not take it in time. If I had been here when it was first made, the bleeding could have been stopped. By the by, how did you manage to get it?” Howard motioned to Spring to leadta the room, and then whispered to the doctor: ‘‘Spring-Heel Jack was here again, and I had a grapple with him. He is a man, and a strong and skillful one, too. He nearly throttled me, and he must have had a knife with him, too.”’ Tatham listened attentively. ‘That scoundrel will be caught some day,” he said; ‘‘and when he is it ought to go hard with him. What in the world can set him to the antics he has played all round London? It has the air of an insane person, for there seems to be no motive for the actions save malice.” | ‘There is some motive, malice or what not; but I don’t think he can be insane. He acts with too much method for that. No, doctor, he seems to have some special spite against me and some one else. Remember that he has never made his appearance lately unless I am in the place, and that he follows and persecutes the lady that—”’ Here George stopped, for he remembered that the physician was not acquainted with his feelings toward Rose Reid, and he did not wish to bring her name into the affair without necessity. But Tatham had not been at the Tower for nothing, and he had used his eyes and ears to good purpose while there. ‘‘Look here, Howard,” he said. ‘‘ You will excuse me for calling you that, but really I can’t yet bring myself to call you by a title which 1 hear that you are not going to assume,” ‘You are right there, doctor. It would be an absurd thing in me to take the title of the premier duke of England, and have nothing in the world to maintain it but my sword as a simple gentleman.” “That's right, and shows that you are worthy to be a duke indeed. But what I was going to say is this: I know more than you think about your affairs, and the vd in which this man, whoever he is, has fol- lowed you lately. Why don’t you marry Rose Reid and become the duke in name, as well as fact. She has a fortune that will put you in a good position, and her father would not say you nay now. It was one thing for the simple lieutenant to offer himself, and another for you to ask his daughter to be- come the first duchess in England.” “My dear doctor, the thing is impossible, now. if I were mean enough to ask a woman who loves me, to support me for the rest of my life, there are obstacles in the way that you do not know of. General Reid has been rejudiced against me by some one, and his Antghter has publicly given me the cut di- rect.” The doctor pursed his lips. “That is strange. Why, I spoke to Reid about this matter, not a week ago; and he expressed himself as in favor of the match. Then you were only the next heir, and now you are a duke.” ‘* But then I had some expectations, and Eomicbooks