Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 264: what you’re looking at

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

rr 262 BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. The man who brought the meal put down the tray without a word. : The reader can see the danger in which, eve; ™, Edgworth Bess was placed. Steggs was one who had no fixed notions of good and evil. There are many others like him, who are a&xlous only to secure their own good, even if it be at the expense of another’s detriment. The motives which had led him to espouse the cause of Edgworth Bess were not so much a desire to see her instated in her rights, as it was to be revenged upon Jonathan Wild and Lord Donmull. | But, upon coming before the thicf-taker, he had founa him willing to reward him, and that in a most hberal scale, for serving him. He had already ten guineas in his pocket as an earnest of what was to come. Over and over again did he ask himself the ques- tion— “Ts Jonathan sincere?’’ and from the manner in which he uttered it, it could be told, that he only wanted to be assured of that fact, to devote himself wholly and solely to his interests. We tremble when we think of the awful position in which those three persons are cast 1n whose fortunes we feel so decp an interest, and all through the avarice of a man who, they believed, was really in earnest in his desire to help them. Should he join Wild, alas! for Edgworth Bese. She would have no room to hope. Blueskin, too, and Jack Sheppard, would quickly fall into his clutches, and be ruthlessly disposed of. But leaving Steggs to weigh over this question in his mind, and come to some decision, we will turn our attention to the doings of the great thief-taker him- self. After leaving Steggs, he went over to the eating-house in Giltspur-street, where, having dispatched a hearty meal, he returned to his office, and settled down to the ordinary business of the day. CHAPTER CLXXXII. JONATHAN WILD DISCOVERS THAT JACK SHEPPARD HAS ESCAPED, AND PURSUES HIM WITHOUT DELAY. THE tolling of the alarm-bell was the first indication Jonathan received that Jack Sheppard had escaped. As soon as he heard the ominous sound he atarted to his feet, with a tremendous oath upon his lips, and hstened. Boom—boom—boom! The sound rose above all the otlcr din of the noisy cily. ‘What is it?’ he cried. “Curses! Is it fireP or is it an escape? No—no. Not that—not that.” He listened agam, and found what he most dreaded to hear realized. Tt was not fire. There were only two occasions when the huge alarm- bell was rung. One was for fire, Another was when a prisoner had escaped. But, if the bell had rung forth for the former reason, er would have mingled with its alarum the awful cry of Ire. That cry, however, did not come to Wild’a ears, All he heard was the murmur of voicea. Ile threw up the window with a crash. Then those cries which had betore been inéefinite and indistinguishable could be plainly heard. “Stop thief! Stop thief! Stop them! An escape! Break jail! Anescape! There they go! Stop thief!” “A thousand curses,” yelled Jonathan Wild, bringing the window down, and putting on hishat. “A thousand curses! Jack Sheppard has made a second escape! " More hike a madman than a saue being, he rushed down the stairs. “Open the door, fool!” he yelled to the man on the lock. ‘* Geta dozen horses saddled at once, and call men to ride them. Let them be well armed.” So saying, he sprung through the door, and alighted on the pavement, without touching any of the steps in his course. On reaching the corner of the Old Bailey, he was met by a throng of people, who were all going in a contrary direction to himse But he did not care. He fought hie way through like a manIae and he forced the people to give way before im. Panting—breathless—and almost exhausted, he reached the ledge of Newgate. _ He endeavoured to buoy himself up with the hope that It was some other prisoner who had escaped, not Jack Sheppard. Should it be so, how glad he would feel. He would not stir an inch to aasist in his recapture. **Who—who has escapedP’’ he asked. ‘* Who has escapedr Tell me—tell me! Where is the governor ?” ‘** Here,” said a voice, and Mr. Noakes, in a atate of the utmaost bewilderment, elbowed his way forward. ‘Who haa escaped P”’ ** Jack Sheppard! ” ** Jack Sheppard?” yelled Wild, although he had fully anticipated what the reply would be. ‘Jack Sheppard ? A thousand curses!” ** Look here!”’ said the governor, and, as he spoke, he showed where Jack had broken off the spike. The thief-taker understood all at once. He did not waif to hear any more. Every moment was taking his prey further and further ary from him. e dashed out of tho lodge again, and fought his way to the door of his own house. Here he found the horses waiting, and his men mounting. “Quick,” he screamed at the top cf his voice, for he had never been in such a etate of excitement before. “Quick. Mount, all of you, and follow me. Have your pistols ready in your hands. Jack Sheppard has escaped! ”’ Uttering these words, he sprang on to the back of the horse which had been provided for his use. He looked round him. The direction in which the people were running afforded him a pretty good idea of the direction which the prisoners had taken. That was up Giltapur-atreet into Smithfield. He had no spurs on, but he dashed his heels violently apa inet the horse’s sides, and was round the corner like a shot. In a disorderly throng the men followed. Their hoofs made a tremendous clatter, and the people opened, and allowed them to pasa through unimpeded. Across Smithfield and up St. John’s-street went Wild, at the very top of his speed. He soon reached the foremost rank of those on foot, and he could tell by their cries that the fugitives were not mach further in advance. This urged him te make fresh exertion. When Blueskin got into the cart, it will be remembered Jobnson already had the reins in his hands, and he drove off at once. Blueskin’s first act was to disencumber himself of the female apparel which he had on, and which proved a great hindrance to his movements. This did not take long, nor did it give him much trouble. He flung the bundle into the atreet. Then he took from his pocket a brace of pistols, aud got them ready for immediate service. These he placed in Jack’s hands. Then, taking two others, he prepared them in the same manner, reserving them for his own use. And now the sounds of pursuit became more unequivo- cal. Johnson lashed the horse furiously, and they tore along at a terrific speed. It was not, however, it must be understood, the people who first gave the alarm who kept up with them. They could not have made speed enough. But the alarm travelled. The ery passed from mouth to mouth, and was taken up with a rapidity that was really astounding. From every house, from every alleg,and every street, the people poured in countless shoals. Despite his efforts, Johnson could not make the horse out-distance these. It was a fleet, long-winded animal, too, and it got ovez the ground at a most prodigious rate, - eee TTR TS SSIS TTR, i SST OS eS es TE SSG AEP SP 3} S COMiclb@c (SO)