Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

\ LE =e SS ee. ees BLUESEIN: A ROMAXCRE. _ © Tell me the particulars.” “With pleasure, Mr. Wild; but would you be good enough to ride forward, sir, and speak to Mr. Lovat, who has the command; he is badly wounded, but you will ( find him quite conscious, and able to speak to you.” Jonathan hardly waited to hear the end of this epeech, but set his horse in motion immediately. The main body of the officers was now only a short distance in front of him. He was then able to see why they all came on so slowly. A few were mounted in by the bridle. ‘ 3 The others were either wounded and being carried on rade and roughly constructed litters, or else they were occupied in carrying them. Jonathan looked at the ecene of slaughter with the utmost surprise, and curiosity was very visibly depicted front, and each one led a horse ¢ “upon his countenance when he reached them. Mr. Lovat, as the officer had said, was on one of the litters, which was carried by four men. These bearers, as they might with propriety be called, were notall officers. Their numbers would have been inad- equate; many were labouring people, who had been hired for the purpose. Mr. Lovat was made aware of Wild’a approach, so he ordered the bearers to come to a halt. He raised himself up then somewhat painfully upon one arm, and looked the thief-taker in the face. Well—well, Mr. Lovat,”’ said Wild, with a hideous attempt to be facetious and agreeable. ‘‘ What’s all this been about ? You seem aa though yon had been in a bit of a skirmish.” “Seem!” replied the chief of police, in a voice that was more like a groan than anything else. “Seem, indeed. You mean we have been. Curse Jack Sheppard, and those he had with him!” “With all my heart,” said Wild; “but you do not mean to say that Jack Sheppard, and those two men he had with him, served you all in this fashion P”’ ‘They did; but they must have been leagued with the devil to have done it. Oh! a thousand curses!” Mr. Lovat fell back on his litter. The pain of his wounds would not allow him to sit up any longer. Jonathan grinned. He had no sympathy or feeling for another who was suffering pain. On the contrary, he rather enjoyed their agony than otherwise. “* Keep yourself calm,” he said, howevar; “ and tell me what has taken place.’ *°T will try.” Are you returning to London?” 6é Yes ) ** T have just set ont, and I have a good body of fresh men with me. Let me know all that has happened. I shall then be better able to act.” “‘Of conrse—of course.” * Commence, then. I should have been after the villains long before now, only I received a bullet wound in the head, from which I have not properly recovered ; but I shall know no rest until he ia once more in my power. Begin—tell me.” Mr. Lovat, in obedience to this command, rather than expressed desire, made Jonathan Wild acquainted with the whole.of the exciting and extraordinary incidents which took place in and about the hut in the plantation, and ended where their further progress along the sub- terraneous passage was stopped by a body of water. CHAPTER CXCVII. JONATHAN WILD DISCOVERS ONE OF THE DEFENDERS OF THE HUT, BUT NOT THE ONE HE WANTED. JONATHAN WILD listened to this recital with mingled feelings of anger and admiration. With all his faults, his follies, and his crimes, he was essentially a brave man, and no one can have perused this history so far without having been made cognizant of the fact. _ Such being the case, he could not withhold his admira- tinn of bravery in others, albeit those very persons were those whom he most bitterly hated in all the world. Bet if they went down this underground passage, and é NO pee SA A, ae NS ART aS SO el 288 so left the hut, how were unable to do so ‘““Ah! that is well asked. At first we were quite puzzled, and I knew not what to think; but in the morning, when we came to make an examination of the ground (for we felt sure they were hiding close at hand} we found one part of a very wide and deep brook which flows through the plantation, completely dry.” ‘< Well P” ** It was the keepera who first noticed the cireamstance with wonder, and told us how broad, and deep, and swift the brook was. By their suggestion, we pursued our way along its banks, and at last came to where the water wag flowing. Do you undérstand P”’ ** Not quite, but perhaps I shall presently. Go on.” ‘“‘The water had been diverted by some meaus or other from its accustomed channel, and we soon found what that means was.” What P” “The subterraneous passage ran underneath the bed of the brook, which formed the ceiling in one part. This ceiling had been broken, and the water allowed to flow through, which it would have a natural tendency to do.” ‘*T understand you now. You miean to say that they all went down into the passage, and then broke through the ceiling and let in the water.” “* That is the conclusion we camo to.” “ But you could find nothing of them P” “Nothing. We kept the closest possible searched all around; but quite unavailingly. disappeared.” ‘Very remarkable,” coineided Jonathan, as ne let his head fall into the palm of his hand, in an attitude of intense thought. ‘It quite baffles me, Mr. Wild. You see I was done for almost at the beginning of the affair, or else, perhaps, things would not be just as they are.”’ “Probably not. However, Mr. Lovat, you can make your way to London as fast as you like, only leave ono of your men as a guide, and 1 will repair to the plautation, and see what I can find.” “ Very well—very well.” ‘The villains shall not escape me. I have already had no end of trouble with them; but I will fix myself upon their trail, and turn aside for nothing.” * You are a wonderful man, Mr. Wild, and may, perhaps, be able to find out something. I trust you may; for it is quite time the careers of such daring offenders as these are were put to a termination.” “Curse them!” said Wild. ‘With all my heart.” “¢ Where is the man I asked for?” You can take Smith, Mr. Wild.” . Very good. He will do; I suppose he knows the place P’ * Quite well.” “That is enough, then. I will proceed at once, and when you get back to Newgate, let it be known that I have set out after the criminals, and that I shall quickly capture them.” L hope you may, Mr. Wild. Good day.” * Good day,” replied Jouathan; and then the course of the little procession was resumed. Wild put himself at the head of his own men, and had Smith by his side. . It was rather more than a mile from that place to the plantation, so they were not of course, long in reaching it. They were obliged to dismount there, and proceed on foot, for no horse could have made its way through the dense mass of vegetation. Jonathan would first of all see the hut, and examine that, which he did with a minuteness that seemed almost unnecessary. The manner in which the entrance to the subterrancous passage had been hidden elicited his warmest admiration. He would have descended and gone upon an exploring expedition, but the water had risen to a level with the aperture, and he was unable to do so. ; He was next taken to the brook, which did not now present the appearance ascribed to it by the chicf of the police, for the water was flowing onward in ite ordinary manner, nor was the channel dry in any part. The reason of thig was the passage beneath had got did they pass the water when you watch, and They had > am EO DOO CC S (SO) 5}