Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 334: what you’re looking at

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

wean a, ever. Now you see it ie in the greatest possible peril, for, if I liked, I could take it this moment.” “Bat you won't?” **T don’t know that. to be caught.” ‘* How aball you escape ?” ‘That we have to decide, but I wanted to bring you to your proper eenses first, and then talk about that after- wards.” “ But it is no good thinking about it now, I euppose P” ‘Well, not much. You see the case is quite altered, but you know now how it would have beenif you had your proper senses about you. But we must dictate the terme. Your life is in our power. Now, what will you do to eave “Do? do? Oh! do? Why, you promised to have mercy if I told you all.” ‘* I know I did, but I didn’t promise that I should not take your life, or, if I did, I dido’t mean it. Now, then, we will propose some terms to you, and, if you agree to them, your life will be spared, but most certainly not without.” ‘What are the terms? ” 1 will satisfy you. They are simple, and won't take long to tell. You must in some way manage to let us escape from this place. You can do it or not, just. as you please, but the moment you refuse, out go your brains, for should think no more of shooting you than I should of shooting a dog.” “Ob! mercy! “You hear what Jack says,’ said Blueskin, for the first time taking part in the conversation, “so just tell us at once whether you say yes or no.” “*T wish I could say yes.” ** And what is to prevent you ?”? “The thing is impossible.” ** How so?” ** Jonathan’s men are in the house on guard.” “What of that ?” * You cannot escape.” “Well then, you must die,” said Blueskin. ‘Pull the trigger, Jack, and put the poor fellow out of his misery. Besides, we have got no time to spare, and have wasted too much already. ‘“*Speak,” said Jack. “I want to be merciful. Will you help us to escape? Yes or no.” “Say yes,and 1 will give you ten pounds into the bargain,” eaid Blueskin, who knew quite as well as Jack that the only chance they had was to get out of the house by the connivance of the landlord, and that was the reason they had taken so much trouble with him ae they had. This offer of Blueskin’s to give ten pounds in addition had a marked effect upon the landlord. _ Money generally will do away with a great many im possibihties. Te ventured to ask a rather momentous question. *‘ Have you got the money about you ?” he said. ‘“‘Of course we have,” replid Blueskin. ‘‘ You don’t think we should want you to trust us? Look here.” As he spoke, Blueskin took ten guineas out of his pocket, and jingled them in lis hand. ““ They are yours,” he added, “‘if you will just show us the way ont.” The landlord sighed as he said— “*T wish I could.” “Why can’t you?” ** Wild’s men.” “Tell them you made a mistake.” “They won't believe me.” ** Send them away.” ** How could I do that?” ** T leave it to your own ingenuity.” ‘* It’s quite impossible.” ** Haven’t you got a back door of some kind.” “Oh! yes.” ** Do Wild’s men guard that ?” ** No.” “Then why not let us out of that?” *“ Where could yon go?” “* Wherever it took us.” _ “But it won’t take you anywhere. You can get out ato the yard, to be sure, but how are you to get ont of the yard gu We have made up our minds not BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. “I don’t know. Take us down, and then we will see.” “It's very hazardous.” ** Not balf so hazardous ag your firet undertaking. Do you agree to take us into the yard?” es. ** And without the knowledge of Wild’s men? ” ee Yes.” ‘“‘ Then, if you will do that, we shall be quite content. Yon leave the risk to us.” “Very well. If you consent to those terms I do.”’ “Good. Then the ten guiueas are yours. But look you, Mister Landlord, we intend to be very careful of you.” ** How careful ?” “Why, that you don’t try to play a double game, and after all lead us into the claws of our enemies.” * You need not be afraid.” “Well, perhaps not; butetillthereis no harm in taking precautions. So, please to understand this. You will not receive the ten guineas until we etand in safety in the yard, and from now until that happy moment I will keep hold of your arm, and Jack will hold the pistol to your forehead in the same pleasant manner as he has done throughout the interview. It will answer a double purpose. It will enable us to place confidence in you, and it will remind you of the fact that your life depends upon your own actions.” ‘* Trust me,” said the landlord. ‘‘I don’t want to see you captured, and I don’t waut to throw away my life It won’t bea very easy matter, I daresay, but I will try my best to take you into the yard, and then I shall leave you to shift for yourselves.” “Well, then, let that be the understanding, and, to play fair with you, I will give these ten guineas into the hands of this young lady who we have rescued from Wild’s house, and she will give them to you as soon as we reach the ard.” The landlord seemed to be well pleased with this arrangement, and at once signified his readiness to take them by endeavouring to rise to his feet. This our two friends permitted him to do. Then, at their request, Edgworth Bess unfastened the door and threw it open. As they had said, Blueskin and Jack still retained their hold upon the person of the landlord, and the latter pressed the pistol against his temples. *‘ Listen,” said Blueskin to Edgworth Bess, “‘and tell us whether you can hear anything of our foes.” Kidgworth Bess went to the top of the stairs, and, lean- ing over the balusters, listened intently. ** Allis well, I think,” she said, at length. nothing.” “Come on, then. You, Bess, I think, had better follow us. We threo will go down together.” It really did seem as though the landlord was quite sincere, and fully intended to do what he had promised, but then he had cogent reasons for his sincerity, since, if he a played false, he would certainly have sacrificed his own life. : In this way, then, they made their way down the narrow attic stairs. It was impossible for them to walk all three abreast, so the way they managed was this. Blueskin went first. He had hold of the landlord’s arm, who followed next. Then came Jack, who had hold of his other hand, and held the pistol to his head. Edgworth Bess followed her two friends, under the Ep pression that that would be the safest plan for her to adopt. In this way they proceeded m total darkness, until they reached the landing at the top of the next flight of stairs, and at this point they paused and listened. p But from below there came no sounds indicative ot their oes. They resumed their descent with more confidence. The house was a very high one, and, as the chamber they had just left was situated at the very top of it, the sume? of stairs they had to go down was something pro- ipious. But they descended them in eafety, and, so far as they could tell, without raising any alarm. At length the landlord said in a whisper— *¢ We must not go any lower.” ‘YT can hear | a SE ELIDA So ERR. 5. SE Nl dp DE eS TR A le RS ET APE TS ae PT ROE DS COMICOOOKS.EcO©