Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

BLUESKIN : “ Good,” said Jack ; ‘‘this, I hope, will furnish me with the means of making my retreat in case I should succeed in what Iam about. I may want to leave in a hurry, so I will leave the door open as it is.” This determination he at once acted upon, and then turned his investigations in another direction. Tt should be observed that Wild had, from time to time, made some very considerable alterations in the back part of his house, and all that Jack saw was quite new and strange, and altogether unlike any other house which he had previously seen. There was one other door, but that led into the outhouse kind of place, the roof of which had enabled him to reach the yard. This door he did not attempt to open. From its posi- tion he felt quite sure it led into the ground-floor, which was the part of the house, above all others, to be avoided. He next turned his attention to the floor of the yard. It had once been paved with large flagstones, but now they were completely hidden by the accumulation of rubbish upon them. . This he somehow thought owed its presence there more to design than accident, and he began to remove some portion of 1t. In doing so he found in one of them an iron ring. What he sought, then, he imagined was in his grasp, and, seizing the ring with both hands, he endeavoured to raise the stone. But it remained immovable. The thought then struck him that the ring might be so constructed as to turn round, and so undo the fastening. To have such a thought, and then to set about trying whether such was the case, were simultaneous events. His supposition proved correct. The ring turned as the knob of a door might do. Then he once more essayed to raise the stone. This time he raised it with the greatest ease. His heart beat violently when he found a flight of wind- ing steps were disclosed. Before he descended them, however, he took care that the stone slab was so placed that it could not by any acci- dent fall back into its setting. When he had done this, he went down without hesitation. It terminated at the bottom before a stone wall. But Jack knew well enough that such a staircase would not be constructed without an object, so he looked closely and carefully about him for some indications of a secret door. For a long time nothing met his gaze, until at last he noticed on the bottom step a small iron knob. This he pressed upon, and one of the stones in the solid wall moved aside. He was about to crawl through the opening, when a succession of screams of the most awful character reached his ears, and seemed to drive him back. qa CHAPTER LXXXY. JACK SHEPPARD, AFTER ALL HIS TROUBLE, ONLY CEANGES ONE DUNGEON FOR ANOTHER. For caly an instant, though, was Jack under the dominion of this feehng. He recognised that voice. It was Edgworth Bess. He dashed through the opening like a madman, and, with the cries still mnging in his ears, made his way along a passage which he knew instantly, being the one in which Sir Marmaduke’s dungeon was situated. How he opened the secret door communicating with the outer series of dungeons he knew not, and did not pause to see. it was sufficient that it did open, and he passed through. Another second, and he was at the dungeon door, which Jonathan, when he entered, had left open. To his horror and amazement he saw Edgworth Bess strugghing in Wild’s arms. It was Jack Sheppard, therefore, who, uttering “an ex- clamation, dashed forward and grasped the thief-taker by me throat, as related in the eighty-first chapter of this story. This attack was so utterly unexpected, that Wild was I NU. ip ye oe Ee Eee 4 |] forced to let go her hold, and shrin a ne At | A ROMANCE. 125 { taken by surprise, and, in the confusion of the moment, let go his hold upon his prisoner. Who his assailant was he could not conceive. He wrenched his head round. A ery of rage and astonishment burst from his lips as soon as he beheld Jack Sheppard. ‘ Wretch!” he yelled, grappling with hin, “ to-night you have signed your own death-warrant! How you came here I cannot guess, but you shall never leave it again in life.” “We'll see about that,” cried Jack. Do not be afraid.” “IT knew you would save me,” she replied, placing her- self behind him. “Ha! ha!” laughed Jonathan Wild, making a sudden effort to throw his adversary; “‘ you are both now more completely in my power than you ever were.” Not another word was spoken, for the two commenced in good earnest a deadly struggle. With a quickly beating heart, and ejaculations of fear, poor Bess watched the conflict. Alas! Jack stood no chance with Jonathan Wild, even at the best of times. Now he was terribly exhausted by the incredible hardships and exertions he had already undergone. Still he stood up bravely, and summoned all his strength, but he quickly found himself getting weaker and weaker, while his foe at the same time seemed to be gaining fresh strength. At last, Jonathan, taking a firmer hold, forced him back- wards, so that, to save himself from falling, he had to sink upon his knees. 7 Seeing this, Bess herself sprang forward, and strove to interpose her form between the combatants. “ly! Bess, fly!” exclaimed Jack, between his teeth, while the perspiration ran down his face like rain-drops. 4 Fig ! He will conquer me, but leave me to myself. Fly! ‘* Cheer up, Bess! *‘ Never without you,” she replied. ‘‘ Never—never!”’ “Take that, then, for being a fool!” said Wild, fero- ciously ; and, as he spoke, he raised his heavy foot, and kicked the poor girl with it brutally, so that she was i back shrieking with paiu. This was an act that filled Jack with fury. Instantly he felt himself endowed with the strength of a dozen men. He once more struggled to his feet, and, for a moment, a seemed as though he would gain the mastery over his oe. But, alas! for both of them, the factitious accession of strength which he experienced departed almost as quickly as it came, leaving him all the more exhausted in conse- quence. Again did Jonathan force him down. This time Jack felt perfectly assured that he would never be able to rise again, without some extraordinary event happened to change the current of events, and so he called to Bess, who was moaning with pain. ** Bess, darling!” he cried, ‘if you love me, do as I direct ; it is the only chance we have. Fly, and leave me! Fly, I implore you, and escape! I will try my utmost to keep this fiend from following you. Let this be the test of your love. Fly, dearest! Turn to the left when you leave this place, and keep straight on. You cannot miss your way. I have left all the doors open. You will find yourself in Newgate-market. There you will meet some | one of whom you can ask succour. Fly, dearest! fly, I entreat you!”’ These words were jerked out rather than spoken, while he continued his struggle with Wild. It would have reached an earlier termination—for Jonathan would not for a moment have hesitated to take his life—only, before he descended to the cells, he had divested himself of ail his arms, not for a moment anticipating that he would have any use for them. It was to this simple circumstance that Jack, on that occasion, was indebted for his hfe. Adjured as she thus was, Bess could scarcely do other- wise than obey, though it was with extreme reluctance that she did so. ‘‘ Fly with all possible speed,” said Jack, as he saw her ahout to depart; * your life and freedom depend upon your fieetness |” A perfect howl of rage came from Wild’s lips when he PR _ . treen PE CloOOOKS (SO) 5}