Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

Pn aE eee RAT OE TE ASTD ase se ay tea PY ET © eee eee BLUESEKIN: A ROMANCE. end 1) Ge make her run until she could run no longer. The hunt| Each held his polished rapier in his grasp in sucha their pleasure would be at an end. esr Boss reached the stout iron palings which sur- round the church. Go further she could not. Uttering a cry of despair and horror, she clung con- vulsively to the ironwork. The strength which had up to that instant animuced her seemed to suddenly depart, and she sank down ina strange, huddled-up mass upon the stone pavement. | She was only partially in possession of her faculties, but her hands retained their grasp upon the palisades. A film came over her eyes, and objects faded from her eight. el “With an earnest hope that Jack or Blueskin might arrive even at the eleventh hour and save her, as they had already done upon more than one occasion, she atrove to rally her departing senses. Then with a triumphant yell, and a sudden rush, the Mohawks closed around her. . She saw their numerous forms; to her excited fancy hey were those of demons. ; She saw the glimmer of their polished weapons in the urky light. Then if screamed faintly, as she saw them all pointed towards herself. - To have moved now witbout receiving a ghastly wound from one of the many glittering steel points that sur- rounded her wonld have been an impossibility. A mocking laugh arose from the shadowy throng of Mohawks as they beheld her frantic terror. “ Mohawks !”” they cried, with one voice, and in such lusty tones, that they made the whole place ring again. * Mohawks! Hurrah for the Mohawks of London! Hurrah! hurrah! Up, wench! What brings you abroad at such an hour ?” The last words were spoken by one who pressed more closely than the others to the trembling form of the poor irl. ane Why, boys,’’ he said, ‘‘ she is young, and, as well as I can tell in the dark, has a pretty face.”’ This speech produced a general movement among the rest, Lowering their swords, they crowded round her, all eager to catch a glimpse of her countetance. ‘Mercy! have mercy upon me!’ moaned Bess, faintly ; ‘let me go, gentlemen, [implore you! Mercy, mercy ! Help! help!”’ It sehid eae Be ithousl her prayer had touched their hearts, and that they were about to accede to it, for they drew back a pace or two. Making a great and almost superhuman effort, Edg- worth Bess etruggled to her feet. _ She brushed her long, black, waving hair away from her face, then, clasping her hands beseechingly, gazed upon the spectral-like forms around her. “Let me go,’ she said, “pray let me go! Have mercy on me, gentlemen, have mercy! [am only a poor, friendless girl, so yon ought to feel some compassion for my state.. Pray, let me go!” But no heed was paid to whatshe said. One and all were occupied in gazing upon her, for they could not fail to perceive the beauty of her face and form, Poor Bess turned her eyes from one to another, but there was not a single countenance whose expression gave her room to hope. In one part of the ring, however, she saw a small opening, and in obedience to the powerful impulse to escape, she made a sudden and unexpected rush in that direction, and strove to get throuch. So rapidly was the action performed that she almost aucceeded in her design. In fact, she did get through. But she was bewildered, and consequently unable to take as much advantage of her success as she might have done. With the greatest apparent ease, one of the band of Mohawks, who was talland lithe of limb, sprang past her. Then, turning round suddenly in advance of her, he held out his sword before him, thuseffectually arresting her further progress. ee Another moment, and the troop of young men, who were scars upon the face of humanity, stood around her. Shoulder to shoulder, in one unbroken circle they stood. saanner that as they stood and projected the weapons before them, the points formed a ring about eighteen inches in diameter. The extreme points of the swords were actually in Sntact with each other. ‘ in the centre, and half-dead with terror, yet not daring to move in the least degree, stood poor, persecuted Edgeworth Bess. Upon the faces of each one of her tormentors was a fiend-like smile. But they were more silent now. For full two minutes did she remain in this horrible position, and then one spoke. ‘““More sport,’’ he said, ‘more sport! Prick her with the swords! That’sit! Look! Bravo! Capital! capital!” As he spoke, this brute in human form lunged slightly with his sword. A scream of agony came from the girl’s lips as she felt the steel enter the skin, though it did not go deep enough to inflict a serious wound. ‘* Hurrah !”’ cried the rest, as they followed the example of their companion. CHAPTER XCV. BLUESKIN MEDITATES A DESPERATE UNDERTAKING, WHICH HAS NOTHING BUI BOLDNESS TO vE- COMMEND IT. FATIGUE procured Blueskin several hours’ sleep, despite the deep anxiety of his mind. This circumstance was fortunate, for unless he tho- roughly recruited himself, what chance would he have ‘with so powerful an enemy as Jonathan Wild ? The latter part of the day, however—that is to Say, from noon till dark—seemed to pass with great slowness, for he deemed it injudicious to show himself by daylight. Jonathan Wild was under the impression that he was no more, and things might so turn out as to make it ad- visable for him to continue so. In obedience to his wishes, the landlord had started off to London to purchase him a disguise, and with the aid of which Blake trusted to keep Wild in ignorance of his existence, while, at the same time, he should be able to make inquiries as to the fate of Jack Sheppard and Edg- worth Bess. At about eight o’clock, however, by which timeit was quitedark, being fully equipped, he had his horse saddled and brought round to the front door of the inn. Not his most intimate acquaintance would hayo recog- nised him as he mounted. Yet he did not carry with him an appearance of being disguised. On the contrary, any one would have taken it-to be his natural character. His ordinary attire had been exchanged for one that suited his tall and well-built form most admirably. It was one best calculated to show off the proportions of the human frame,'and in its style about as picturesque as could be well imagined. To-day such a costume would attracta very creat deal of notice, but then, when greater latitude was allowed in dress, it was thought nothing of, though many of the fairer sex might have been induced to look twice at its wearer. A few lines will serve to give the reader an idea of it. We will begin with his head, upon which ho wore a light flaxen pernke, very tastefully arranged, and termi- nating ina quewe, or tail, which hung down onto his back, and was soCured at the extremity by a bow of black silk ribbon, This was surmounted by a black felt hat, turned up at the brim, and edged with a narrow border of gold lace. His coat, which was of marone-colonred velvet, fitted ciosely to his form, and was likewise trimmed with gold lace, but of a wider description and more elaborate pattern than that round the rim of his hat. The sleeves at the upper part near the shoulders fitted taghtly, but they gradually widened to the wrist, where they were turned back, so as to form a cuff, which was so deep as almost to reach the elbow. Below these cuffs were some spotlessly white lace ruffles, which, when the hand was held downwards, fell over aud concealed even the tips of the fingers, sound ES NEALE a CIN? FP a reese TUN Tia a Ri ITS, - sink eee aa SATE iT TS an nal A TY Se RI ag OE arte meee an GLa mE OEE ST TS SO, GOMLGIOO 5}