The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

30 Se SS yet, mind, We must first get some one into the fort.” The firing between Hugh Tracey’s party and the Austrians was now very rapid, and wild shouts from the Italian seamen rent the air, “Follow me!” said Frank, Sword in hand, he rushed forth from the ravine, followed by his men, silent and determined. “The gate is open! rush into the fort and secure it |’ shouted one, “add They did rush towards it, but it was slammed in their face ! ’ All, or nearly all, the garrison were out fighting ; not a man was on the walls, and therefore Frank knew there was no time to be lost, or Hugh Tracy’s party might be overpowered by numbers, ‘‘ Here, Buttons,” said Frank, ‘‘do you want to distinguish yourself ?” “Of course. What's up, Master Frank?” “Why, this; there is a female imprisoned in there, and we must find her out,” se Weel? “ Will you do it?” “Of course ; if you give me a couple of revolvers to defend myself. But how am I to get in, the gates are closed ?” “ Oh, we'll soon manage that.” In a moment eight of the Italian seamen formed a platform with their bodies against the wall; upon their backs jumped four boys, who did like- wise, on the top of those clambered two others, thus forming a perfect scaffolding of human bodies, up which young Buttons had to climb. As they were on the dark side and at the back of the fort, this stratagem was not perceived by the Austrian guards, Provided with a long rope Buttons mounted on the back of first one and then another of his com- panions, and was soon safe on the top of the wall, concealed by some projecting masonry, and out of sight, In a moment the scaffold of bodies was destroyed, and as they marched off towards the spot where Hugh Tracy and his men were fighting, Frank, full of glee, pointed out a dark speck on the wall of the fort, which was creeping along like a huge cat, It was Buttons crawling towards the roof of the prison ! CHAPTER XY, FLINT’S MOVEMENTS AFTER THE YFIRE—UNEX- PECTED MEETING WITH WARNER AND THE PUG —OVERHEARD CONVERSATION IN THE COFFEE SHOP—ARRIVAL OF TWO OFFICERS WHO SEARCH IT—THE THREE VILLAINS ESCAPE, ‘“ WHERE can the murderer run, or hide from the sight of man his red-dyed hand ?” Such were old Flint’s thoughts as he hastened away he knew not whither from Green Court. Still, as he ran, blinded with agony and despair, cold perspiration oozed from his brow and his limbs shook under him, Where could he go?’ He knew not. Whichever way he went, he cast his eyes towards the sky and could see there the red glare of the flames of his own burning dwelling. And as often as he thought of his small, dingy chamber, with its worthless furniture, and as often as his fiery brain reverted to the horrible spectacle of the headless body in his own bed, he groaned aloud with mental agony, er FSO XP LTC com ad ete “+ mv UN — THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. “Who was that stranger?” he thought, that called at his lodgings in so mysterious a way. What could he want ? “ What did he mean by inquiring for him so familiarly by name? t What was his purpose in asking “if he had lost anything ?” What had he lost at all? He knew not, Was it Warner in disguise ? No, this could not be; the voice, the manner, the height, and walk of the person was not Warner, Who else could it be ? “ Was it a detective?” he thought, and, as he did 80, his teeth chattered again, But suppose it see a detective ; how could he have found him out so quickly? He had ridden home from old Ford’s place and had not tarried on the way. “Snrely,” he thought, ‘‘the police cannot have found out a clue already? But suppose they have arrested Warner,” he sighed; “if such be the fact, then it explains all,” He stood under a doorway to let many persons pass who were hurrying towards the fire. Engine after engine came tearing along towards Green Court, and policemen in squads were hurry- ing thither also. He heard some of them say that the whole court would be burnt to the ground. “ T wish it may,” sighed Flint. A fireman coming from the conflagration was heard to report that a life was lost. “ Who could it be?” thought the lawyer. “Ts the party known ?” asked a policeman of the fireman, as they walked on together. “Ves,” the latter replied, “the landlady says the missing man is an old chap named Flint ; the headless body she swears looks very much like that of his son ; but she’s not quite certain.” “You don’t mean that?” said the policeman. “Tdothough. The old lady is frantic about the loss of her house; and swears she distinctly heard the old man go upstairs into his room but never come out again.” “But wasn’t the old chap discovered when they pulled the body out into the court ?” ‘“No; you see, the ‘ Coster’ and the ‘Darkey’ were almost suffocated in pulling the body out, They had bundled out all the other lodgers into the court, when the landlady screams out, ‘Old Flint is there still !’’ The Coster and Darkey voluntcered to go into the house again to look after him, ; This was before any fireman had come on the spot; but directly they reached the front door, the whole place fell in with a loud crash, leaving no- thing but the four walls standing. “ It’s a horrible affair,” ‘TI believe you,” said the fireman, “And a mysterious one to boot,” said the police- man, “There must have been murder, then?” “ Without a doubt.” ‘And so the father was buricd alive in the rnins ?” “Tt seems so,” ‘This makes two murders as have occurred to- night,” said the policeman, as he and the fireman passed out of hearing, ‘ My son! my only son, Joel,” gasped the law- yer, “ murdered !—his head cut off! It cannot be! And yet the old landlady has seen him before—the last time he came from Bromley Hall. Oh, heavens, it cannot be! and all this trage¢dy—this double tragedy—is the work of cursed gold! Oh, that I had Eomichoo S