Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

158 be. By what strange succession of events she became so, we have yet to relate. The doings of others have compelled us to leave her for some time, but ere long we shall be able, for a period, to devote ourselves exclusively to her strange fortunes. Little did Jack think, as the carriage whirled by, and the shriek smote upon lis car, that she of whom he was in search was so close to him, and in greatcr peril than she had ever been before, or that that awful heart-burst- ing scream came from her lps. Little did he think what he had missed by not acting in accordance with Blueskin’s wishes. The sounds of the receding vehiole died away into the silence of the night. It was not until it had fairly done so that the two friends moved. The discontimruance of the sound to which they had been listening seemed to have the effect of breaking the kind of spell that was upon them. ‘It’s very strange,” said Blueskiu, as he walked his horse out of the lane into the middle of the high-road, and there halted. ‘ I don’t feel at all at ease. I have half a mind now to gallop atter it.” Besides, they have got too good a start for us to hope to overtake them in anything like a reasonable distance, to say nothing of the danger of revisiting the spot where the duel took place.” * Well—well! I suppose we must go back to London now.” we can talk. Where shall we go to in London?” “Tt will not do to go to the “ Black Lion.” * By no means!” “*T think I can manage now. passage ?” ** Whereabouts is 1t ¥ ”’ ** At the back of Clare-market.” ‘¢T know it very well ; but you do not think of going there, do yon?” “Why not?” ** Tt is so close to Drury-lane!”’ *¢ So much the better!” *€ Do you think so?” ‘Tam sure! We shall be less likely to be suspected there!” ** As you wil!” “If you agree to that, the best thing we can do now is to make our way there direct, for it will be daylight by the time we arrive.” ** What then?” ‘We must lie by during the day, and as soon as it 1s dark, we must sally out and try if we cannot be successful in finding some trace of the missing girl.” *€ T shall not know what rest is until we fiud her!” “T can understand your anxiety, but, Jack, you ought to remember that, unless you are careful to preserve your own powers, you will fall an easy prey into the hands of ; your evemies.”’ * Trne—true!” * Get all the rest you can!” ‘* But when we start out, what course shall we adopt ?” “That it would be hard to say until the time comes. During the next twelve hours or so, something may turn up to give us the clue we want!” ‘I trust there may!” *Andso dol?” | “* Have you any hopes of such a thing ? ” “No particular hope, but still it is probable such a thing might happen.” ‘“*But suppose the day should pass away and night | come, and find us iu the same state as we are now, what should you do?” ** What should yon?” ‘* T kuow not, hardly.” “There ig but one plan that I can think of.” | ** And what is that ?” a “¢ We have tolerable evidence that she reached Warwick- ane. ‘We have that she reached Newgatc-market.”’ “Well, that is much the same thing. It next remains Do you know Gulbert’s- SS A ae PP A (NON Tt pt SO 5 I a cp cg Pf ee Serene ES ERE ——e a, ‘ Nonseuse!’’ replied Jack, ‘‘that can do no good. | “That is it,’ said Jack; “ but let us go slowly, so that | a ae re ee . = BLUESKIN: A HKOMANCE. er ep A EE LE SCOT to consider, upon finding herself there, what direction would she be likely to take.” “There itis! For my own part, I think it most hkely that she was in such a state of meutal agitation and confusion, that she would take the first course that came.” ‘‘There is a strong probability of that, but no more than that the *‘ Black Lion”? rose before her mind, and that she made the best of her way there.” ** But she never reached it.” “7 know that, but it does not follow that she did not set out with the intention of doing so. She may have been intercepted. You must know, as well as I do, that it is by no means safe for a girl to pass through London streets alone at such an hour.” ‘“T do know it—I do know it, and when I think of the fearful dangers she would likely enough encounter, my heart grows sick within me!” “Cheer up. All may not be so bad as you anticipate. She may have fallen into good hands.” She may, but I fear she has not.” rz3 Why an ** Because, if she had, she would have sent word to the ‘Black Lion, knowing how uneasy I should be on her poco No, my friend; you cannot cheat me with that ope.” “JT would fain do so. Let us return to our search. ”’ We will assume, then, first of all that she started for the ‘ Black Lion.’ ”’ “Well?” “To reach it she would doubtless take the thoroughfares.” Ludgate-hill, Fleet-street, and the Strand.” “Just so. We will then, step by step, go the whole of mar ‘the distance, taking that route, aud on our way make every inquiry we possibly can. If she has gone that way we shall assuredly hear some tidings of her.” Oh! you fill me with joy! Let us make the attempt at once.” ** Not so, and for many reasons. In the first place, it would be in the highest degree unsafe for you to show yourself by daylight ; and, in the second, as it was night when she went, it naturally follows that night is the most proper time for us to set about making our inquiries.” ** So it does.” ‘‘ Keep yourself as calm and cool all the day as you possibly can. When night comes, I trust we shall learn something that will lift this load from our hearts.” * Until I knew her,” said Jack, “‘ my hfe had no aim or purpose, but since then ] have been quite changed, and, had circumstances permitted, should have been a different being to what I am. I love her, and I will devote the whole of my life to shield her from all harm, stand between her and her enemies, and fight her battles, until I succeed in restoring her to that wealth and dignity from which she has been so unjustly debarred.”’ You are a noble fellow, Jack,” said Blueskin, deeply impressed by the earnest manner in which his companion had spoken. ‘* Youare a noble fellow, and it is a thousand pities that you have been spoilt, and your better feehngs warpedas they have been. Like you, I have the interest of my master’s child at heart. Like you, I shall live for no other object than to see her restored to her rights.” There was a silence after these words were uttered, and they trotted on to Blackfriars-bridge a few mniutes after- wards. Already was the morning light making itself perceptible. Over the surface of the Thames there hung a shght mist. They had gained about the centre of the bridge when they heard, on the hard stony roadway, the clattering of horses’ feet. Simultaneously they looked before them, for it was from that direction that the sounds came. A party of six well-mounted men were coming over. Our friends drew aside to allow them to pass them, if they would, unnoticed, but one of the horsemen who rode in advance of the others spurred his horse on towards them. “ Ffullo!’’ he said. road? Answer me, in the king’s name. Wild!” ‘“Have you met any ove on the T am Jonathan (SO) NOOLKS > | | | | | | b