Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 200: what you’re looking at

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

—aeees : 198 BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. They shovld suffer some inconvenience, he determined. By tke side of the fireplace he noticed a large cupboard. ‘s That will be the very place,” he muttered. “I will atuff them in there, and then, if no one finds them, it is no fanlt ef mine.’ Before he had finished making this reflection he had pegun to drag them, in spite of their resistance, along the oor The key was in the lock of the cupboard door, so, turn- ing it round, he opened it. Somewhat to his surprise, he found that there was only one shelf in it, and that very near the top. But it was not, strictly speaking, until afterwards that this struck him. With one vigorous push, having got them close to it, he pushed them inside. Ere, however, he could close the door, he was startled by a rushing sound, and a dull, muffled shriek. A heavy splash succeeded. For a moment Blueskin was so astounded that he stood like one suddenly changed to stone. The very instant that the two badies reached the floor of the cupboard it gave way beneath them, and they <lis- appeared trom sight with the greatest sw iftness conceiv- le It was their falihng for some distance down a kind of well-like place that made the rushing noise. The muffled shriek had come from their lips as they descended. The heavy splash was when they reached the depths below. It was water. So rapidly was this gone that Blueskin could searcely bring himself to Believe that it had really happened. But it was 625 of those circumstances that will not for very long adm of the possibility of a doubt. Recovering himself, he sprang to the window, and with one snatch pulled down the curtain which hung before it. A glare of daylight of course came into the room the moment this was done, revealing its darkest recesses. Blueskin then walked to the cupboard. The door had swung partially shut, but he pushed it wide open. Holding firmly by the woodwork, he looked within. Then he saw that bottom to the cupboard there was none, and that instead there was a kind of square pit, the depth of which he could only estimate by the length of time it had taken the bodies to reach the bottom. Bending still more over the abyss, he listened to see whether any sounds would come up from below. But all was silent, and thongh he remained in the same attitude for several minutes, nothing came to indicate that the infamous lodging-house keepers were in life. “This is very strange,’ Blueskin said; “very strange aud very awful. I little thought that they would receive their death at my hand. But it is just, perhaps, after all. No doubt that pit is the receptacle of many a poor traveller whom they have murdered! It would probably have been my resting-place had not the steel plate I always wear revented them from achieving their object. I must leave this place, though—I must leave this place. There 7 nO knowing what danger I may incur by lingering ere.’ This was true, so he at once set about taking his de- parture. Unbolting the room door, he opened it and went out upon the stairs. But before he descended them, he listened whether any ene was stirring. But all was still. Nevertheless he crept down the staircase with the ut- most silence and caution. They terminated in the passage. A hasty glance showed him that it was vacant, and that the front door was standing open. To dart out into the street was the work of a moment only, and he drew a long breath as he did so. “Now for Jack Sheppard!” he said, as he turned his tace towards the river. ‘‘ Is he a prisoner, L wonder, or has he, like me, managed to escape P That is a point which I will very quickly assertain.” ~ CHAPTER CXXXVII. JONATES77 WILD RECEIVES A VERY IMPORTANT COMe MUNICATION IN A VERY MYSTERIOUS MANNER, WHILE the dramatis persone of our story continue to be so widely separated as they now are, and as they have for sonie time been, it must inevitably occur that, while we are giving our attention to some, we neglect others. But so far as possible, every one has had his turn. The adventures of Edgworth Bess and Colonel Thorne have been brought up to a certain poiut, and so too have those of Jack Sheppard and his two companions. Blueskin also has been followed for a length of time, and now that he is not in a situation of any special danger, we feel that for a time he can be left, while a few pages are devoted to the proceedings of J onathan Wild. Of late he has certainly been very much neglected, but it was presumed that a greater interest was felt in those to whom he was a bane, than there was in himself. If the reader will carry back his recollection a little, he will find that the last that was seen of him was on that morning when, after his unsuccessful pursuit of Blueskin on the Thames, he had returned to his own residence in Newgate-street, under the full impression that he should find there Jack Sheppard and the two men in whose custody he had left him. We know already how disappointed he was in that anticipation, but we certainly shall not attempt to transcribe the awful volley of curses which poured from his lips when he was made the recipient of the startling intcllicenee that nothing whatever had been seen of either of them. He could hardly believe in the possibility of such a thing at first, but, when his ire had subsided a little, he cried— “The horses—the horses! Have the horses at the door atouce! Six! Callupthe men! Quick, I say!” “Yes, Mr. Wild,” gasped Tonks, who was in momentary dread of receiving something from his1 peau master harder to put up with than words. “ Yes, Mr. Wild. In one moment, sir.’ “VYa—ah! Be quick, I say.” He stalked down the passage as ke spoke, and entered his office. ‘Brandy,’ he eried. ‘‘I must keva brandy. Curse that Jack Sheppard! Am I always to be thwarted b him? Is he always to slip through my fingers when I think I have got him secure. No. Jonathan Wild shall never be balked bya stripling lke that. I will capture him if [ hve, and, when [ do, [ will take good care that he does not escape. I have sworn to bring bim to Tyburn, AAT have done many a better man, and I renew the oath. While speaking, Jonathan had hfted the sloping hid of his desk and took out a small black bottle of brandy, which he carried to his lips and emptied at a draught. This done, he looked to his weapons and ammumtion. His powder-flask and shot-pouch were replenished. He carefully loaded and primed his pistols. Then walked back into the passage. Here six of his janizaries had assembled, for such was the state of discipline to which he had brought them, that they obeyed with as much promptitude as soldiers. ** Ya—ah,” he growled. ‘‘ See all your pistols loaded, for you will lave some warm work to do, I expect. Where are the horses?” ‘They will be at. the door m one moment, if you please, Mr. Wild.” It was Tonks who spoke, and, even as the words passed his lips, the trampling | of horses was heard outside. ‘*There they are, sir,” he said, as he flung open the front door. Follow me,” said Wild, darting out. ‘ Bollow me.’ In a disorderly throng they followed him down the ee into the street. With what speed they could, they scrambled into their saddles. As it happened, they were all seated before their master, for, having ‘approached his horse in a savage mood, he had kicked it brutally on the leg because it would not stand still. The consequence was as might naturally be expected. The horse was not so afraid of the thief-taker as his men were, and it did not hesitate to show its resentment by kicking and plunging, and that in such a manner that cComiclboooks @ (S)