Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

=e —_ BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. Lord Donmull shuddered as he said— “ You would murder him!” ‘¢ That is an ugly word, my lord; J will put him cut of the way. “ Enough, enough !’ “Do you consent ?” 4 [ do. 33 ‘Then let mo say disinterestedly you are wise. Just think; with your plans accomplished, and that man hang ing upon you, what sort of life would yours be? No enviable one, certainly. Now when I am employed in a matter I expect to be paid upon its completion, and then I forget all about it.’ ‘7 leave it to your hands, then; heaven knows f uavo nothing to be thankful to him for. Before he came I was secure and happy, and now ’’—— ‘Now I suppose you possess neither! Do not despair, | my lord; I will carry out this affair for you, and then all will be well again. T shall rely upon your gratitude as a recompense.’ . “ You will have no eause for complaint, Mr. Wald. a matter of this sort I should not be partienlar to a trifle.” “That is agreed, then; and now, as I said, I will call in my man, and you shall hear what he says in answer to my questions.” As he spoke, Wild again pressed the concealed handle of the bell. © Send Levee up,” he yelled, as Tonks qust put Is head inside the room. There wasa few moments’ delay, and then Levee, in anything but an enviable frame of mind, made lis appear- ance. “T want to ask you some questions.” Levee glanced at Jonathan’s visitor inquiringly as he replied— vs Yes, Mr. Wild.” “ You went with me in search of three persons.” “7 did, Mr. Wild.” “ We chased them along the Western-road, and, w hen near Ealing turnpike, the horse shied and threw me.’ “That was when yon were shot, Mr. Wild.” “Who fired ?”’ “ Blueskin and Sheppard both.” “ And what took place then ?”’ ‘They galloped on down the road. them, but dismounted to look after vou.’ “What then, Levee?” asked Wild, with a hideous rin. me Finding you were either insensible or dead, I gave orders for tour of the band to take you home, and ‘then re- mounting, the remainder of us set off in pursuit.” “Well?” “We galloped on for hours, and kept the sharpest look- out, but they were not in sight or hearing when we sturted, and we failed to eapture them.” “Yon hear,” said Wild to Lord Donmull. Then turning to Levee, he said— “Where would they be hkely to go. idea ?”’ “No, Mr. Wild, I haven’t ; but’? —— “ But what ?” © T think Wilkinson has.” “Why ? how?” “ He dropped a hint to that effect, if vou please, sir, and siud if you would send for him he would tell yon what he knew.” “That will do, then. Get ready halt-a-dozen of you, and get mea horse. 1 will see uf J cannot root them ont. Send Wilkinson up at once.’ Levee withdrew. The interview wasa very different one to what he expected. “This may be important, my lord,” said Jonathan, as the door closed. ‘‘ Wilkinson would not venture to send such a measage unless he had something to comenuni- eate.”’ “ T am glad of it.” “ However, you shall listen to what he has got to say ; but let thi gs be how they may, I shall set off in pur- suit.” “Mr. Wild!” ** My lord!” * Should yon object in any way to my forming a pertion of your party ?” W e did not follow Have you any Tn | ——$< ee ery — a a TTT CGO Lac TEL POE EC Eo AT A SEP Big OP not one who did not live entirely upon sufferanee. 7 RR tency ** By no means if you wish it.” “[ do wish it, then. J think the excitement wovld do me good, and I should not be so full of suspense as I should he while waiting for intelligence.’ “As you please. If this man ean in some way put us on the right traek, so mueh the better. Our task will then be easy ; but, at any rate, 1 will seour all the country until 1 find them.” **T am glad you are so in earnest over the affair.” **T am determined. Not only is there your business to earry out, but I have a personal account to settle with those who are w ith her.” ‘* As you please.” ‘hat is nothing to vou, my lord. I will put the girl in your hands; then If shall be done with it. I will take the two men, and you will be done with them.” * Wxactly. One of them is, I think, the raseal that so assaulted me and robbed me of my wateh.” *Heis. But don’t trouble about that. He shall acquit in full all obligations.” There was a momentary pause, and Wiid again touehed the handle of the bell. Then both listened. A rapid step aseended the stairs, and then some one tapped gently at the door. “Come in!” roared Wild, ‘‘ eome in !” In obedience to this command the door was opened, and Wilkinson crept into the room hke one who was going to his death. It was wonderful what a state of subjeetion Jonathan managed to keep his men in; but the fact was, there was {le had the power of handing them over to the authorities, and then their conviction and execution or transportation fol- lowed as a matter of course. And so Wilkinson, although he had important intelh- gence to eommunicate, trembled lest it should not be well reeeived. CHAPTER DUXVITY. WILKINSON GIVES JONATHAN WILD SOME VERY IMPOR- TANT INFORMATION AS TO TIE WHEREABOUTS OF THE FUGITIVES, “Suur the door,” said Wild, ‘Sand then tell me what yon have got to say. “Ves, Mr. Wild.” “Yon told Levee that you thought you eould form some ert the plaee where the three fugitives have gone ‘““T don’t know about that, Ma. Wild; I will leave it to you, si, uf you please, as being the best judge.” “Goon,” said Wild. “ Let us hear what it 18.” “YT will, sir. You remember, of course, Geoffrey, as was tneked up two or three sessions ago P”’ “What of him ¥” “Why, he was always very great with Blueskin, and one day I happened to overhear what they were talking about.” Well?” ** Geoffrey, if you please, Mr. Wild, was saying how he had arranged a secret place of refuge he would he able to fly to m ease of any dauger. It was a place, he said, where they would never think ot looking to find him, aud was quite a seeret.”’ “Then what made him tell Blueskin ?” ‘“* Because they were friends, and he thought he mght as well have the benefit of it as him, so he gave hima very particular deseription of it.” * Whieh yon heard ?” “© Whieh | hear d, Myr. Wald.”’ “ Be careful,” said Jonathan; “this promises to be im- portant. Tell me, what was this place r’ “We called it Tylney Abbey, Mr. Wild.” “Tylney Abbey, Tylney Abbey,” repeated Jonathan. ‘7 have heard that name. Where is it ?” ‘“ Just on the borders of Oxfor dshire, I believe, sir.”’ ‘Well, you have not told us al] now. ‘No, Mr. Wild, I haven’t. He desenbed how you had to evt to the ruins throngh a very large wood, and through the eourtyard to the north turret. At the top of this north turret was the room he had prepared for the purpose of tiding in.” Jonathan sprang to his feet. CO JOO SS o(CO) 5}