Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 172: what you’re looking at

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a ee ee eee similar support, she could not have retained her position, for, excellent as were the springs beneath the carriage, yet, such was the tremendous speed with whuch it was whirled along, that it swayed violently to and fro, and occasionally there would be a sudden jilt as some obstruc- tion or other was encountered. And now the reader will be pleased to remember that after their singular adventure with the post-chaise, Blue- skin and Jack Sheppard, on their return to London, heard some vehicle approaching them. Blueskin wished to stop it, though, when doing so, he did not for a moment anticipate that any particular re- sult besides obtaining additional booty would arise from it. As we have related, he very unwillingly allowed himself to be overruled by Jack, and permit the carriage to pass unmolested. Accordingly, that they might the better escape observa- tion, they retired into the mouth of the lane. The carriage swept by. Edgworth Bess at that moment recovered from the lethargic slumber into which the drugged wine had plunged her. Upon finding herself in such rapid motion, and half in the embrace ot a man, who in the faint light she did not recognise, she uttered a loud and awful scream of affright and terror. That was the sonnd which had reached the ears of the two watchers in the lane. Alas! Jack did not know that scream came from the lips of the girl he so fondly loved, and who was even then present in his thoughts. Little did he dream she was in extreme danger, and within arm’s-length of him. It is astonishing what great results often follow httle causes ; but so it 1s, and so it always will be. Had Jack Sheppard allowed himself to be persuaded by his comrade, he would have brought the carriage to a standstill, and a glance at its interior would have dis- covered Edgworth Bess. What, then, would have been more easy than for them to overcome all such resistance as Colonel Thorne might offer, and bear off the poor girl to some safe place of refuge until such measures could be taken as would reinstate her in her possessions. Then the whole after-current of his hfe would have been changed, and all the world of miscry and shame and erief have been averted. But fate had decreed it otherwise. Away flew the carriage, and Jack, when it had passed, set ont in an opposite direction to search for her. Ilow hopeless and how vam a search! Iiven in its very commencement most disastrous, for sae fallen into the power of his arch enemy, Jonathan ild. But it is not at present with either him or his comrade Blueskin that we have todo. For yet a little longer we ae follow the vicissitudinary fortunes of poor Edgworth Ss. Blueskin had remarked that the shriek which had as- sailed their ears sounded as though it had been suddenly and violently suppressed; and this was exactly the case, for with an oath, Colonel Thorne placed his hand over her mouth and stilled it. ** Silence !’’ he said, mm a tone of voice so threatening and terrible that Bess felt her heart turn fairly cold, and sink within her; ‘‘ silence! Utter such a cry again, and it will be your last. Do you hear me? Will you be silent ?” Ile removed his hand a little, in order that she might reply to him. But she was silent. “Speak,” he cricd again; “give me your word, your promise, that you will continue silent, and I will take it. If you do not, you will drive me to such measures ag will compel your silence. Answer me, I say!” But had her life then and there have depended upon her uttering a syllable, she could not have uttered it. The colonel, perceiving the state of terror she was in, appeared content, and merely muttered some diabolical threat, if she attempted again to scream out for assist- ance. St was jastat tlis moment that a light flashed across the window of the carriage, and they the horses stopped. ae me eee Je f beet o~ gee ee — rae — i ey BLUESKIN: 4A ROMANCE. eae = — rt re ne) The colonel seemed to be perfectly aware of what was taking place. All he did was to look more keenly at his companion. There was the trampling of horses’ hoofs—the sound of voices; but they lasted a moment only, and then the car- riage resumed its former pace. The horses had been changed. CHAPTER CXVIL. EDGWORTH BESS FINDS LITTLE FOOD FOR HOPE IN HER CAPTIVITY. WitHout the occurrence of any incident of special interest deserving of recordation, the carriage containing Colonel Thorne and Edgworth Bess reached that residence belong- ing tothe former of which we have already spoken, and which was known as * The Larches.” Evening shadows were gathering round when they arrived. Of what kind of place it was to which she was being taken, kdgworth Bess had not the remotest idea, for the colonel kept the carriage-blinds closely drawn down, so that it was not possible for her to obtain a glimpse even of the country through which she passed. Ever since the threats to which her persecutor had given utterance, she bad remamed profoundly silent, shrinking as far back into the corner of the carriage as she was able, and fixing her eyes steadfastly and reproach- fully upon him. She was, too, very—very ill. The mere excitement of the scene through which she had so recently passed would be sufficient to induce this, but there was in addition, ber weak and wonnded state, and the effect which such rapid travelling would be sure to have upon it. But most of all, there was the agony of spirit under which she laboured. Could she but have been assured of Jack’s safety, one- half of the load which weighed so heavily upon her heart would have been removed. In her imagination she pic- tured him a prisoner in the hands of the villainous thief- taker, and the inmate of one of his hornble and gloomy cells. Of her own position she scarcely realized the full danger. Colonel Thorne sat on the opposite side of the carriage. His head was bent, and his eyes apparently gazing upon nothing, but all the time, though not seeming to do so, he was watching every movement, and every varying expres- sion of the countenance of his fair prisoner with the utmost closeness. At last he knew by the change in the grinding sound which the carriage-wheels produced, that they had passed through the lodge-gates of his estate, and were traversing the broad gravel carriage-drive leading up to the front- door of his mansion. But of this Edgworth Bess was-herself ignorant. She was too terrified—too ill—and her mind too much occu- pied with gloomy thoughts, to take notice of such trivial circumstances. The sudden jerk, however, when the carriage stopped, served to arouse her. ‘We have reached our destination,” said Coloncl Thorne, in his rough, stern voice. ‘* Ahght, and make no needless resistance, for it will be quite useless, and, «t the same time, futile. You will be seen by none but persous in my pay, and who take no notice of my actiors. Alight!” As he spoke, the carriage-door was opened by some one who held the handle of it in a deferential manner, It was Fennell. At the same moment the colonel stretched out his nend, and took hold of Edgworth Bess by the wrist. To have opposed her strength to his would have Den perfectly ridiculous, so, in order to avoid ill-usage, she rose, and suffered herself to be assisted to the ground. She took a hasty and terrified glance around her, but nothing met her gaze, save a large mansion close to which she stood, a dark surrounding of tall trees, and the blue sky and stars overhead. There was not the slightest sound to indicate the presence of human beings. ; A very short opportunity was aZiowew ner for perceivieg ee eae aa aren Geren ee ee, ote ae eee (SO) comicooolkks >