Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

ELL LIE SO CL TCL ET A SE BLUESKIN ;: A ROMANCE. 147 pn ee ee ne TL CF All these particulars Jack was able to take in at a| anxiously than Jack’s did as she heard the step approach. glance. *‘ Have they gone?” he asked, scarcely raising his voice above a whisper. ‘ A shake of the head was the reply. “ And Jokason; have you spoken to him ?” **T have.” *€ And without exciting suspicion P ” ec Yes.”’ ** And what did he say when you told him I wes kere P” ‘Expressed no surprise, but merely said that yoa must” be content to remain for the present where you now are, and then he would see what he could do for you.” *¢ T must be satisfied with that assurance, I suppose.” You must.” *€ And what about the officers ?” “They are one aud all firmly of opinion that you are concealed somewhere in the house.” ** Indeed.” ** Yes, they say it is impossible that you could have left it and they are determined to find out your hiding- place. ** Are they below ?” ** Some are, I think; but not all.” ‘<The remainder, I suppose, are stationed outside ?” **T do not know.” ** Curses upon them!” said Jack, bitterly; ‘‘ to be cooped up here is almost worse than captivity or death. Events of the greatest moment call for my immediate attention. If I stay here I shall go mad.” “Calm yourself,” said the widow, gently, ‘“‘and bear your confinement as patiently as you can. It must surely be better for you to be confined here than in New- gate ! * No—not so! I should know the worst, thon; and now I shall be in a continuous dread. What will become ofher? Whereisshenow? Without a strong arm to pro- tect her, not many hours will elapse before she falls again inl the hands of her enemies. It will kill me to stay ere,’ : The poor woman looked with great surprise at Jack as he uttered these words. She could not comprehend them. ** Is there no means by which I can leave this place ?” said Jack, after a brief pause. ** None, without the risk of capture and detection.” ** Show me the way,” said Jack, “‘and I will dare all that may happen. ‘To remain here is utterly impos- sible!” He went to the window as he spoke, and looked out. It overlooked a small yard at the rear of the inn, but the buildings round about were either too high up or too low down for them to be at all available to him. ** You cannot get out that way!” said the widow, “ let me persuade you to wait until Johnson comes. It may not be long before he is here, and doubtless he will be able to suggest a means by which you can be free.” “€[T will,” said Jack, throwing himself upon the bed, ‘but it will be no easy matter to curb my impatience until he comes. Not that I think I could get far away, for the whole neighbourhood is doubtless well watched. **'You are the best judge of that, but if Jonathan Wild igs your enemy, it is in vain for you to struggle against your fate.” ‘* But taose were not Jonathan’s men who came after me,’ cried Jack; *‘I did not think of that before, but I am sure they are not.” That I don’t know. Hark!” “What?” **Do you not hear P” “No; what isit?” ** A footstep !” **On the stairs ?” “Yes, quick, quick! MHido yourself, or you are lost. Conceal yourself under the clothes as well as you are able, and I will answer for your not being here.” The sound of some one ascending the stairs now came with very great plainness to Jack’s ears. As quickly as he could, he hastened to the bed, and hid himself bezeath the clothes, which were piled upon it in a disordered heap. Nearer and nearer came the footstep. It was evidently a man’s. The widow's heart beat even more painfully and ‘We re Cen And yet, had it not been for the peculiar circumstances, she would have thought nothing of it. The house was vccupied by several families, aud of course there was much going up and down stairs. At any rate, it could scarcely be said that it boded any special danger to Jack. When the step, however, paused at her door, and the latch lifted, the widow was ready to swoon. Jack’s very artificial hiding-place would surely not escape discovery. But when the door opened a little way, and the form of Johuson, the landlord, appeared, no words could describe the revulsion of feeling which she experienced. Gliding in stealthily, he closed the door behind him. ‘“ Where is Jack, Mrs. Lawrence?” he asked, in g whisper. ‘* In the bed.” Hearing the sound of their voices in conversation, Jack ventured to look up. Upon seeing who it was, he bounded from the bed. “Cet me out of this, Johnson,” he cried. ‘‘ To stay here will be worse than death. Show me a means by which I can escape.” “ Gently, gently,” rejoined Johnson. ‘Do not be quite so fast. You will find it a very difficult matter to get away from here.” é¢ Why P 3) “'T’he officers are in force, and they are firmly possessed with the idea that you are hidden somewhere in the building, and they are only waiting for the day to come in order to make a thorough search.” ‘* But they are not Jonathan Wild’s men, are they ?” “No, not one of them. They all come direct from Newgate. There’s none of them know how you managed to escape. How was it?” “J must defer telling you that until I have a better opportunity. At present I must get you to devvte all your thoughts to getting me away from here.” ““That, then, you may as well know first as last is impossible.” ** Impossible P ” &e Yes aa ** You would have said that, I expect, if you had been in my place in Newgate.” ‘** Perhaps I should. But do you happen to know that the whole of the neighbourhood is closely watched by the police, and that you would never be able to leave unseen.” ** But what am I to doP” ** I can only propose one thing.” ** And what is that?” **'T'o conceal you somewhere in the inn, where it would be next to an impossibility for them to find you.” “Can you do this P”’ © think so.” ** But how long should I have to remain there ?” ** Until it was safe for you to leave, of course.’’ R a Johnson, look here. You remember Edgworth esa Pp’ “To be sure I do. Would it be possible for any one, who has once known her, to forget her.” ‘1 think not. But seriously, my friend, when did you see her last Pr” ‘You alarm me, Jack. What has happencd? Surcly she isin no danger Speak.” *¢ When did you see her last 7”’ “Why, when you and her and Blueskin went through the cellars to my other crib in White Hart-street.” ‘“*Then you have not seen her to-night ?” *To-night! no. What made you think [ should?” 7 will tell you.” Jack then proceeded to relate all that had happencd since the occasion the landlord spoke of; but as the reader is already in possession of the fullest details re- specting those events, it is unnecessary to give the narra- tion in Jack’s own words. The countenance of Johnson exhibited an expression of the greatest alarm and uneasiness when he learned the disappearance of fidgworth Bess. During the time she had been under his roof, short though it was, the ami. ability and cheerfulness of her disposition had endeared her to him in a greater degree than one would ha- imagined, considering the character of the man, and that Se = til oO Se . oo ee ee e Leal t am! cComicboooks (SO) 5}