Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. 157 a a A A ta a a ‘They know something of the affair, it is true, but for all that we shall be looked close after. Now, I am vexed all the more about that in consequence of the pains I have taken to disguise myself.’ ‘¢ Now you will have to find another.” ‘‘T know I shall, but ten to one if I find one so good.”’ * Why not return to your proper character P”’ * Jonathan Wild.” “What of him? Sooner or later he must learn the secret of your return to life, and I do not see what object you would gain in keeping it from him. “Nor I, now. Of course you know why I assumed **T do,” said Jack; ‘it was to seek for Bess. In the strange events which have just happened I lost sight of her for a moment. Oh! Blake, tell me where I am to look to find her!” Alas! I know not. However, we are iu a better position to make our inquiries than we were.” * How much have you taken?” “T cannot tell.” *¢ Look.”’ ‘¢ Tt is pretty fair. London.” - ‘*¢ But where do you propose to go? What steps do you intend to take ?”’ -©Tamatalosstosay. I did not think when I spoke. We shall have to be very careful, or you will be made a prisoner.” _£* What shall we do? . Where shall we turn?” ““T can tell no better than yourself. She has disap- eared, and left not the slightest clue by which she may e traced.” ** Do give me hope.” ‘ “ Certainly! We must set to work, and think into whose hands she is most likely to have fallen.” ‘Lord Donmull’s ?”’ '* Possibly, or into those of some other of Jonathan Wild’s agents.” ‘“Tam perplexed,”’ said Jack ; “ but from this moment It will be best to cdlefer till we reach I will take an oath to do nothing, have nothing 1m view | but her discovery. ‘Towards that end I shall turn all my thoughts and actions. you will aid me.” * You know [ will, Jack; my motive may not he quite | | are almost out of sight.”’ so powerful a one as yours, but it is nearly.” Jack grasped his comrade’s hand. do towards expressing his thanks. ‘“And now you bring me back to my first question, what shall we do?” “One moment,” said Blueskin. What is it?” ‘* Listen.” ** T do.” **Can you hear nothing ?”’ ** Now I can. ° It is the grinding of wheels.” *'Yes, some other vehicle is approaching us. there are the lamps.” ‘** T see them!” ** Draw aside, Jack.” €¢ No ! 39 No! why not?” ** Did you think of stopping it ?” ** Certainly ; we cannot get too much booty.” ‘* My friend, we have sufticient for our immediate wants —let that suffice.” ** { do not see any reason for lettiug this go by.” Look, ‘You may not, but Blake, my friend, I want to devote | on the whole of my energies to the task of finding Edgworth It remains for you to say Wnesuer| It was all he could | “T am glad of that. The same good luck we have hitherto had may desert us, and should either of us be captured, wounded, or killed, there would be an end to a “Do not be timid. But I can tell you are apprehensive, and so on that very account, it will, I daresay, be best to avoid the encounter.’ ‘* T am sure.” “But for all that I think it would be better for us to draw up under the shadow ot the hedge and let it pass.” ‘* IT see no reason why we should court okservation.” ** It will be prudent to avoid it.”’ “There seems to be a lane just a little further on, on your left hand.”’ ** It looks as if there was.” “We will ride forward and see. If it should turn out that we are right, we will back our horses into it aud there wait while it passes.”’ A dozen steps brought them to the place in question, which, as they had fully expected, proved to be a lane. _ They had just time to walk their horses a pace or two into it and turn round, when the carriage arrived. It was going at full speed. Perhaps it was only natural that both Jack and Blueskin should look upon the approaching vehicle with more than common curiosity, but, whether it was or not, they did so. On it came like a huge eloud. It swept past the top of the lane with great velocity. As it did so, however, a terrific and bewildering scream reached their ears—so loud, so shrill, so piercing, that it was distinctly heard above the trampling of the horses and the rumbling of the wheels. CHAPTER CVIII. OUR TWO FRIENDS MEET RATHER UNEXPECTEDLY WITH JONATHAN WILD ON BLACKFRIAR S-BRIDGE. “Whar does that mean?” asked Jack, as soon as he suf- ficiently recovered the shock ot the surprise to speak. “* What does that mean, eh, Blue?” ‘““T no more know than youn do. It was some one in the carriage.” ** Beyond all doubt.” ‘* And a female !”’ ‘“ What a rate they are going at, to be sure. Why they ‘Yes; they have increased their speed, I think.” ** And the girl—I am sure it was a girl.”’ Soam J.’ *€ Why did she shriek out so dreadfully P”’ “Heaven only knows. Perhaps she was being carried off by force.” ** But, then, if it was against her will, you would think her abductors would take care that she gave utterance to no such cry as that, which would be the means of calling immediate attention to them.” “That may be, but it is just possible those means may } not have been sufficient, or that she may have taken advantage of some unexpected circumstance.” ‘““There was but one cry.” ** Only one, and that one seemed as though it had been | stopped suddenly.” ‘* It is very strange.” “You may well think that. regret.” ** What is that P”’ “That I did not refuse your request, and carry out my ginal intention of stopping the carriage.” * But think what fresh difficulties we might have got There is only one thing I Bess.- Let all other things be forgotten, or unheeded. | into.” Will you promise me this ?”’ ‘““I do; but you ought to think, as well, that we might “1 will if you wish it, though I don’t see why our | have been the means of getting some one out of one.”’ stopping the carriage, or whatever it is that 1s coming, should interfere with that task in any way.”’ * Do you not P”’ “I do not, but still I am willing to give way to you. We are under no necessity that I know of. But when you pene. out upen the road, you should do all you can and then e off. ** We have already done enough.” ** A little more, then, won’t make much difference.” Be guided byme. Let this pass by unmolested.” ** T consent.” | Alas! Blueskin little thought how perfectly mght he was, and how materially the whole aspect of affairs would | have been changed if he had stopped the carriage. But fate, destiny, providence, or whatever name you may choose to call mysterious chance, had decreed other- wise. Had he have stopped the carriage, much future misery would have been averted. Perhaps the reader already guesses who was the inmate of the carnage. at was Edgworth Bess. {8 cethemeiemmntidiee Ce ane ce ee pa I ES San ama I I, OE SE al a eta ay (GO) Cc SS (SO) 5}