The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

124 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. eee eee eae “So that is your opinion, eh?” said Jonathan, with a wicked chuckle. “Yes, and I have no hesitation in saying that you have no more right to come here on account of those two brats, than I would have to go to you and ask money for my son, Joel, who is now tra- velling for health and pleasure in Italy.” “ Indeed |” ; ‘Yes, indeed! Why do you sit there and grin at me in that manner?” said old Flint, plucking up courage and actually sighing for some good ex- cuse to blow Jonathan’s brains out. ‘‘ Indeed, yes indeed ; a pretty thing for you to do, to gain ad- mittance into my apartment like some midnight robber, and drink my wine, and take things free and easy with a man who does not owe you a far- thing.” “How pious you are getting all at once,” said Jonathan, with a sneer. ‘‘Do you think Iam so stupid as not to know your kind intentions towards me, now you’ve got the brats off your hands?” ‘And don’t I know very well that the brats have been carried off by the young Garibaldians under Frank Ford?” said Flint, in triumph. “Can you deny it? And yet you have the effrontery to come here with a lie in your mouth to extort money,” said the lawyer, indignantly striking the table. A short pause ensued, when Jonathan responded in a very calm whisper,— “And don’t Z know, Flint, that you are privy t6— ‘““What?” said the lawyer, quickly, and with a trembling lip, ‘Nay, don’t shake so much, my dear old friend,”’ 3aid the late master of Bromley Hall, with a sneer ; “don’t shake so much ; you look as pale, and trem- ble just like you did on the night when old Ford was murdered and robbed,’’ “Tiar!” growled Flint, clutching the revolver in his pocket, and getting it ready for instant use, unseen by Jonathan, ‘Liar!’ he said, with flash- ing eyes ; ‘‘I know nothing of what you say ; it is all base insinuations.”’ “Do you owe anything to a gentleman of the name of Warner—Dr. Warner, mark me, who at- tended on your very dear friend Ford ——” “ Tdiot ! I——” “Why do you keep out of the way of policemen, and change your name? You are very innocent, and I know feel ‘ de-light-ed’ to see me.” Flint bit his lip. “Shall I kill this fellow?” he thought. ‘‘ Would that he might provoke or give me some good excuse for doing so; I’dsend a bullet whistling through his cursed skull in no time.” ‘¢ Satisfaction is what I want, Flint. Iam a ruined man! blasted for life, and all through being led by the nose by such a viper as you. From one sin I haye fallen into another and a greater one each time. I am a murderer, and so are you—the bride and bridegroom at the Hall, remember. Where is all the money ? what has become of it? where has it gone to?” “Into my pocket,” Flint laughed, in triumph ; ‘and will remain there, Jonathan,” He felt very courageous, because of his revolver, and especially because he knew that the long gentleman opposite was never known to carry weapons of any kind, “Not if I have a hand to compel you,” said Jonathan, rising in anger. eS Oh, would you use force to an unarmed, in- offensive man?” said Flint, in pretended alarm. ‘Money, I say,’ said Jonathan. ‘ Would you, for the sake of a few pounds, see me dragged by the ater ee law and hung like a dog, you who have thousands at your command? Money, I say, Flint, or, by heavens, there’ll be murder committed here to- night. Money, I say, or blood |” Flint now saw that Jonathan was thoroughly aroused, and he knew of old that he was a very desperate man. soste “Unhappy wretch,” said Flint, in tones of mock pity ; “calm your insane mind ; there are police- men in the street ; remember, you are not in Bromley now.” “TI know that, imp of the devil,” Jonathan retorted ; “but if there were a dozen here at this moment, they could not, they should not stay my just anger.” c Hold,” said Flint, as Jonathan was about to rise, at the same time presenting the revolver at his visitor’s head. ‘Hold, villain, you are in my power ! move but an inch, and I'll blow the roof off your head !” “Despicable hound !” said Jonathan ; “you de- serve to die ; this is the end of all your professions, is it—you would kill me in your own room—you would ‘silence’ me for ever, as you call it, eh? Oh, you most consummate old villain.” ' “ Ag you will,” said Flint, grinning in triumph, like an old ape. “The game is over, my dear Jonathan ; it has lasted for more than thirty years between us, and Ihave got the ‘odd trick ;’ migh is right,” : Jonathan grasped at the weaponeagerly. ‘Die |!” said Flint, and he pulled the trigger six times in quick succession. The caps snapped |! But the six charges missed fire. ‘Damnation !”? swore Flint, in pale surprise. In an instant Jonathan seized him by the throat. “Fool! idiot !’? he said, in low, hissing tones ; “think you I was not prepared for this? Ha, ha! I drew the charges for you—ha, ha!” With a powerful effort he threw Flint upon the floor, and placed one knee heavily on his breast. ‘This is better than your revolver,” said Jonathan, brandishing a long knife before Flint’s astonished eyes. ‘ 7his makes no noise. Silence, fool,” said Jonathan, almost squeezing the life out of Flint’s body. ‘Silence, or I’ll cut your heart in two.” ** Me-r-cy !” groaned Flint. “The money !” “Mercy ! and—oh, only let me rise! I’m suffo- cating. You shall have all I’ve got, Mur——” | Jonathan was on the point of cutting Flints throat, when— Some one knocked at the door! ‘‘ Who is there ?” asked Jonathan, hoarsely. No answer. The knocks were repeated. “Who is there, I ask?” said Jonathan, in a quick, angry manner, For a third time the knocks were repeated. ‘Curses on it,” said Jonathan, in a whisper, “T am foiled again. Your promise,” said he in Flint’s ear, “you will not betray by word or sign ought that has now happened?” “T will not,” was the faint response. rise ; I am almost dead.” ‘Another moment and you would have been,” thought Jonathan, with a bitter smile, as he put up his long knife, and went towards the door, He opened it, A policeman entered the room. In the passage were some half dozen others, Neither Flint nor Jonathan had heard a single footfall until that moment. “Let me As must be confessed, the feelings of the two COMME OOKS,. eC)