Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

&. BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE, sufficient, commenced making a noise of a diffire:t metter,sir? Is it thieves or fire? What was that shot ¢ character. sa d why was the alarm-bell rung? Open! open!” In tone it greatiy resembled that intricate pivc. o! | ‘They paused for a reply. mechanism, a musical-box, only the sound was about :; “‘ Repeat these words,” whispered Blueskin : “ Say, it’s thousand times greater. tall right—there’s nothing the matter.” Evidently the box was made ina manner so as to best! Zr. Hadley made two or three abortive attempts to resist attack, for not only had the presence of a strange! speak. | key caused aloud report, as if from a pistol, but also set | Then he gasped out rather than uttered— soine hidden machinery in motion, which created a clang-| ‘‘ It’s all right—there’s nothing the matter.”’ ing, Tinging noise. This unexpected reply produced quite a consternation ‘Thieves! thieves? Murder! murder! Help! help! jin the winds of those without—they glared at each other Thieves! thieves!’ shouted a voice from behind the cur- | aghast. 4 tains of the bed. “Allright!” they repeated. ‘‘ Nothing the matter ? It was succeeded by the lond ringing of a bell ia some | Why who rang the alarm-bell ? ” distant part of the building. “*T did,” replied Mr. Hadley, speaking after Blueskin. Everyhody in the place would be aroused. “— woke up dreaniting and frightened, but it’s «!l right The position of the two housebreakers was most despe- | now.” rate. The servants, however, appeared far from sattsiio! and For a moment Blueskin stood bewildered by the rapidity | did not move. of the events which had occurred. “‘What are you stopping there for?” asked the mer- The clamour grew greater and greater. chant, still repeating after Blueskin, ‘‘ Dou’t I tell you it’s But Blueskin quickly recovered his presence of mind. | all right, and there’s nothing the matter?” He shut the chamber door, locked it, and shot two bolts| “* Yes, yes; you do!” replied a chorus of voices, “ but into their sockets. you speak so panel As he thus accomplished the, as it appeared to Jack,| ‘‘ What is it toyou how I speak? Be off at once. To insane feat of making them prisoners, the tramp of hurried | bed with you all. The one that dallies to obey my orders footsteps could be heard in the passage. will be discharged to-morrow.” Blueskin turned away like lightning, and, rushing to the| This threat had the desired effect, and the servants bed, drew back the heavy curtains. withdrew with, be it said, manifest reluctance. ‘Murder! murder!’ screamed a man, who was sitting | There was something so artificial and contrary to his up in bed, pulling a rope, which doubtless communicated | usual manner in the way their master spoke, that they with the bell which was still tolling loudly, ‘“‘Help—help! | felt sure something was amiss, though what that some- Ob! murder! help!” thing was they could not conjecture; for had hoe not, with With no gentle hand Blueskin dashed the barrel of a| his own voice, told them that nothing was the matter. pistol into the man’s mouth, who, of course, was Mr.| Iw face of the threat of discharging enyone who lingered adley, the retired merchant, and occupier of the Grange.” | what could they do but retire ? ‘Cease your cries!’ exclaimed Blake in a deep, stern! Nothing. voice, “and let go the rope, or, so sure as it is a pistol| It was, however, with uneasy consciences. barrel which I have put into your mouth, you are a dead| JBlueskin waited and listened until he felt sure that man.” everyone had departed. Mr. Hadley fell flat back in bed. Then he spoke to Sheppard, who had, from a variety of He trembled with fear at the close approach of death. | antagonistic emotions, stood perfectly still during the But short as was the time this took, it was long enough | enaction of the extraordinary scene we have described. to enable some of the inmates to reach the door. ‘Pick up the lantern, Jack,” he said, “and turn on the They knocked violently when they found it fast. full light. Quick, now! there is no time to be lost if we But Blueskin had resolved upon a bold course of action. | are to accomplish our purpose and get off safely.” It is just possible, considering the dreadful state of| As he spoke he let go his hold of the merchant, who fright in which Mr. Hadley then was, that he might, by | fell to the floor in a state of insensibility. acting promptly, have made his escape. It was hardly posses for human nature to be proof But that, until his purpose was accomplished, was not | against what he had endured. Indeed, that he should what Blueskin wished to do. have stood up against it so long as he did is something “Qnen! open!” cried several voices at the door. | wonderful. “What's the matter! Open! open!” Ags directed, Jack took up the lantern, and, turning back Blake seized Mr. Hadley by the arm, and, exerting his | the slide, tolerably illuminated the apartment. utmost strength, pulled him out of bed. The clanging noise inside the box had ceased. The merchant, half-dead with fear, plumped down upon! The machinery, which no doubt consisted of some his knees as soon as he reached the door. eunning arrangement of springs and wheels, had run Blueskin shook him vigorously. | down. Then pressing the muzzle of the pistol against his fore- lf Blueskin had bad the ordering of things, be would head with sufficient force to cause considerable pain, he | certainly not have allowed Mr. Hadley to go off in a swoon, whispered in his ear impressively— but made him unfasten his strong box. ‘“Mr. Hadley, if you have any desire to see another day, However, as it was, there was nothing left for him to you will reply as J tell you to reply.” do but to open it himself. “Yes, yes, good sir,” was the answer, in an agony of | This he now bad little fear in doing, for he calculated trepidation. “ Take all I’ve got, good sirs, but spure my | and with some show of reason, that it had done all in the life.” shape of mischief that it was capable of doing till it was “ Ah, now you talk sensibly. I would rather not shed | again put ready for action. your blood if I could avoid it; though I should net fora| Knowing it to be customary with many people to sleep moment scruple to do so if I saw, or fancied I saw, a ne-| with the bunch of keys under their pillow, Blueskin went cessity. Repeat my words in answer to those without. If} to the bed in the hope of finding Mr. Hadley’s, for it of you do not, your blood be upon your own head; for I wiil| course stood to reason that the proper key would be the assuredly blow you brains out. I should then, before! easiest to unlock the box with, your domestics could enter, have time to effect my purpose | In this hope he was not disappointed. and escape.” A bunch of keys was there. | His practised eye enabled him to almost immediately the door increased to a terrific extent. select the proper ie from the others in the bunch, and, “‘ Now,” said Blueskin, “speak after me. If your voice | on applying it to the bos, he found it ture in the lock with trembles in the least—if you fail to repeat my words cor- | cage. . rectly, or do anything to rouse a suspicion inthe minds of; He hastily lifted the lid. While this took place the hammering and shouting at those without that all is not right, that moment shall be’ The contents of the box almost dazzled him. your last. Da you understand ?” | “Get the bag, Jack,” he cried, “and slip these things “ Ye—es, good sir, Spare my life.”’ “ Obey me, and I wil.” ‘Who's there?” asked those without, ‘“ What's the intoit. Bravo! it isa splendid booty, and well worth all the trouble it has cost us.” So gariug. he rapidly ¢urucd ont of the box @ very ca rT wee ng et Dent Yfviemeeagy comiclboooks 5} (SO)