Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 385: what you’re looking at

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

ee, ee POO I ae Se We Ee ere ~s y ———— 0 seneerpessiersiiontcoiaing) “Wo mnst,” said Jonathan with a grin, for much as he desired the capture of the fugitives, he would have been deeply mortified if his son had been successful when he himself had failed so often. It was wonderful how much this reeonciled him to his defeat. He did not feel half so furious as one would have expected. He would not have lked his son to achieve sncha triumph over him. As he had said, the most reasonable thing for them to do was not to waste any more of their time and energies, but return to Newgate-street and wait for somo firsh intelligence. Accordingly, Jonathan gave the order for his men to mount, . = for Ross, he, at least, was a trophy to take back with them. Jonathan was much enraged with Ross, and there is little doubt the landlord will have to suffer smartly for the service he rendered to our friends. By the command of the thief-taker his arms were firmly bound behind his back with the sword belts of soine of his men, and while in this helpless condition he was lifted on to one of the horses, while a janizary sprang up behind him and took the reins. It was in this way that Ross was taken to the thief- taker’s house in Newgate-street. Poor Ross! He was quite unable to help himself, and over and over again he cursed his evil fortune. But it was all to no purpose. He was obliged to submit. He was jolted fearfully upon the pommel) of the saddle, and he longed for the end of his journey to come, for the horse npon which he sat trotted roughly, and Ross was profoundly ignorant of horsemanship. Indeed, if it had not been for the janizary putting his arms round his body to hold the reins, and thus retaining him us his seat, he would certainly have fallen to the round. Jonathan did not forget the ingots of silver. He had them carefully counted and then delivered them to his men to be distributed amongst them and thus cairied home. On reaching Newgate-street, the whole troop alighted, and Ross was assisted to the ground. The treasure was brought into the hall. Quilt Arnold had not formed part of the expedition. Indeed, it had become quite an understood thing that when Wild went out on any of his excursions Quilt stayed at home, and had, for the time being, the sole direction of affairs. It was so in the present instance. But he was up, and waiting for the thief-taker to make his appearance, so he lost no time in showing himself. Moreover, Quilt was curious to learn the result of this expedition, for he had learned from the spy what was the object of it. e was scarcely surprised when he saw the thief-taker return without the prisoners. But he dreaded some ebuilition of violence. In this he was deceived. Wild seemed to be in what, for him, was quite an amiable frame of mind. His first care was his prisoner. ‘“Take him to the cells, Quilt,” said Jonathan, “and keep a sharp eye upon him. Mind you have him aecure. I shall hold you responsible for his safe keeping.” Poor Ross, the landlord, looked very ruefzi and aneasy when he heard these words. He had a wholesome dread of the great thief-taker, and, up to the present time, it had been the study of his life to avoid coming into collision with him. - Now, however, he had made Jonathan his bitter enemy. And yet we should be doing the man an injustice if, despite the perilous position in which his actions bad placed bim, he repented what he had done. To be sure, he could not help feeling very uncomfort- able at the thoughts of his position, but he strove to hope for the best. Quilt Arnold saw him deposited in one of the strongest of the cells, and having done so, removed, at the prisoner’s peBUaets the belts which confinod his hands behind his ack. BLUESKIN: A ROMANCE. ee egg FS He had, at all events, the free use of his limbs, and liberty to range the limits of his cell. That was better than being chained to the wall. Dawn was now close at hand, and both Jonathan and his son, feeling sleepy, weut upstairs, in the hope of being able to snatch a few hours’ repose. Jonathan Wild went to his room, and, aceording to his usual custom, flung himself on the outside of the bed with his clothes on. But his brain was busy, and the silence and darkness of his chamber served to engender thought. His mind was chiefly occupied in thinking of his son. ie doubted him, and yet wished to place full contidenee in him. Could he but have been assured of his good faith, he felt he should not fear to undertake anything. But he had a doubt. Would this delightful son of his be all that he could wish for a little time, and then turn round against him as he did before ? It might be so. And yet, on the other hand, he might have purchased wisdom with experience, and was now quite sincere in his protestations of repentance, and quite willing to join his father 1n his nefarious schemes. But, while this doubt remained, Jonathan felt it would be not only impossible, but impolitic to trast him. How could he make sure that his son was sincere in his professions P We determined to try and find a means. The cousequences would be ruinous to him if his son wormed his way into his confidence, became possessed of all his seerets, and then turned the knowledge against im. **T will test him,’ muttered Wild, as he tossed rest- lessly over and over upon his bed. “I will test him, and if he proves unworthy, he shall die. He acted to- night with much of my own old daring and cunr.iag, but, then tt is a fresh thing. I must test him—I must test m. At the same moment, George Wild, in an adjoining chamber, was thinking of his father. ** What shall 1 do?” he said. ‘* Shall I join myself to him, and let his interests become identical with mine ? I am a good mind to say yes. I might do worse—mucli worse. I would make up my mind at once to be faithful to him, but, the worst of it is, the guv’ner, with all his cleverness, is the d—dest fool alive.” ae, CHAPTER CCLVI. BONE VERY EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES BEFAL BLUESKIN IN WESMINSTER ABBEY. No doubt the reader feels curious in no ordinary degree to learn by what means Blueskin had made such an extra- ordinary and sudden disappearance, and, before we relate the adventures of Jack Sheppard and Edgworth Bess in the treasure-laden wherry on the Thames, we purpose devoting our time to the elucidation of this mystery. We know he managed to get somewhere where Wild, with all his astuteness, was not able to find him, and he. was destined to meet with some rather remarkable adven- tures before he emerged from the place of his conceal. ment. When the janizaries rushed forward and pounced upon Ross in the manner we have at length described, Blue- skin, although the conviction was about his heart that he could not possibly this time avoid being ciptured by his powerful foe, rushed forward up the patiage, animated solely by the instinct which prompted sim to place as great an interval as possible between himself and his enemies, and not with the idea that by so doing he should oe able to effect an ultimate escape. Well enough he knew he was in what, to all intents and purposes, was & mousetrap, siuco there was but one means of entering and emerging from it. Upon gaining the end of the narrow passage where the stone walls of the Abbey barred his further progress, Blue- skin turned round and armed himself, determined to resist to the last the attack which he every moment expected his foes to make upon him. . In consequence, however, of the want of foresight in 383 (SO) NOOLKS (SO) 5}