Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

4 ZIG The weight was enormous, and they moved it with great difficulty. They could not avoid, too, despite the great care they took, an occasinnal creak, or grating sound, as they pushed it over the boards. ; When this happened, they stopped ana begat again with greuter caution than before. . A great deal of time was consumed thus, but it was unavoidable. Haste would have produced noise—and noise, detection. _ At length, however, by pushing it inch by inch, they got to the edge of the had. As is common in many sleeping apartments, thera was a strip of carpet all round the bed, and when they suc- ceeded in getting the box upon that they were more at case. While this was taking place, Jack Sheppard stood at the head of the hed. In his hand was a pistol. ; He held it in an attitude to do immediate execution, in case any alarm should be given. But the old carpenter slept soundly, of a somnolent disposition. They miglit almost have made tlirice the noise they did without fenring that it would disturb lim. When the box wus fairly clear of the bed, it could be seen that it was made of some dark-colourcd wood, and heuvily banded with iron. The duys for such things are over now. They are only to be seen at the old curiosity shops occasionally, As the iron safe came into use, 0 did they grow obsolete. The former now is universally used as the depository of valuable property of all kinds, and to such q degree of perfection has their manufacture been carried, that not only is all attempt at opening one made impossible. bat also by their peculiar construction they are capable of preserving documents uninjured, even though exposed to the fiercest heat. ; The box was not of any great dimensions, though it was weighty. It had every appearance of being secure. J'o have tried to open it there wuld, the housebreakere thought, be incurriug too mucli risk, so miustering sll their strength, Flood and Blewitt lifted it up by the euds, and staggered out on to the landing with it. They placed it down silently at the head of the stairs. Jack now felt that he could leave his post. Accordingly be followed his comrades from ihe room. The door he closed after him, in order to prevent, as much as possible, the transmission of any souvd which might be made by opening the box. ‘The candle now rendered them effectual assistance. Blewitt stooped down, and made a thorough but rapid exannnation of the manzer in which the box wus fistened. At the end of bis scrutiny he gave a nod, which secined toiuply that be should be able to manage it. He again had recourse to the buuch of skeleton keys, which had alrendy beep of such assistance to Lim, in opening the door of the bed rooin. lu addition to the keys, there were upon the ring a yaricty of small, briglt, curiously-shaped implements. They all differed materially from one another In some way. ‘hese were picklocks. In the bands of a skilful man, and one accustomed to their use, they were formidable instruments, and such as a creat deal might be accomplished with. Carefully selecting one of the picklocks, Blewitt com- menced an attack upon the lock of the box with it. Using no force whatever, but just gently moving it about, he, after a great deal of trouble, manuged to get the lock back. But, upou trial, the lid was fouud to be as sceure as ever. lt would not move in the least. Te was stout and There were no other locks visible etther, Juck eonld give no exphination. What was the meaning of this fora momeuat he SS? at] Then the theeyht ovcnrred to Blewitt that the oes night have been d mble locked, and that be lad only shot the bolt back Laif the distance, — | BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. CHAPTER CXLV. 34.8 SHEPPARD AND HIS COMPANION® EMPTY THB STRONG BOX, BUT DO NOT ®JCCEED IN GETTING OFP WilH THEI& BOOTY. To immediately set about ascertaining whether this was the reason the lid of the chest could not be raised, was Blewitt’s first impulse. He again introduced the pick into the Jock, and was re- warded by hearing a second snap, like the tirat, but rather ouder. Impatiently, for he was alarined at so much delay, Jack took hold of the lid. This time it came up readily enough. All looked eagerly for the contents, but they were hid- den from view by a covering of some kind of skin. This, however, was quickly thrown off, aud underneath it appeared a variety of valuable articles. But the chest, which was about half full, contained chiefly a number of smull bags, very carefully tied up. That they contained coin was apparent at a glance. The peculiar shape, and, in some places, the round edges of the money projecting through the canvas, made it im. possible for them to be mistaken. ** Now,” whispered Jack, “‘ never mind anything but the bags. All contain money—some gold, and some silver! Fill your pockets with them, and let us be off. We have been here sadly too long already.” The two men made uo reply to this speech, save at once doing their leader's bidding. The bags disappeared one after another with extraordi- nary rapidity. Jack himself took a share. All three wore those coats which form so characteristic a portion of the costume of the period. hey were mude with large skirts and enormous pockets, the capaciousness of which seemed to have no _ limit. Now those in particular which Flood and Blewitt had on were made with an especial view to transpecting a mul- titude of objects. Between them, they were able to empty the box of every bag which it contained. All that was left were some antique pieces of silver of no great intriusic value, and which, in consequence, it wag not worth while to encumber themselves with. Specie, too, could not be identitied, and these articles would leive a trace which, tollowed up, might Iead to their detection. ‘* Now,” said Jack, in a low whisper, when tho last bag of money hud been removed, ‘ let us be off; we huve been ss/e so tar, and do not let us go into any dunger needlessly.” “All mplt, Jack,” said Flood; “ but stop a moment.” What for?” * Didu’t you say the old man was your governor ?” 7 will tell you that Lastory anuther lime.” “All right; that is not what 1 meant.” © iv Ou, then.” Stup, wuw, aud hear what I have to eay. There's no harm in that.” ‘* Perhups not; only we are losing precious momexts.” * Pho, pho! that’s all mght evough.” * But what do you want ?” * Didn’t le treat you very badly?” “Whore” The old mau.? John Roots?” Yes.” ‘ile did ill-treat me; he forced me away from this house, where otherwise | should have been at this mo- ment. But my father swung at ‘Tyburo through Jonathan Wild's devilry, and le always Hung it in my face, until at last 1 vot almost mad.” Jack spoke rapidly, in He spoke, too, excitedly, and, in the oblivion of the moment, raised his voice louder than was prudent. But the circuznstance was uuuoticed by Lin. * ) thought that was it.” suid £ loud. What du you mean 2?” Oh! nothing; only’?—= Ouly what 2’ “Why, if any one had served me as John Roots ba served you ’=——== conrad aga nig te PS SP SP SO AS OEP a OT Za a I I SS a SS} o(CO) >