Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road — A Tale of the Good Old Times — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

D anf be tty rear CE ined) BLUESEIN: A ROMANCE. sued, he abated his speed, and shaped his course for New- gate-street. Muttering the most diabolieal curses, he made his way along the Old Bailey. ‘He shall hang!” he said, and he elenched his fists tightly as he spoke; “he shall hang, eurse him! Dees he think it nothing to cross me in my schemes? He shall rue what he has done, most bitterly rueit! Blneskin, too—my most faithful follower—he has weaned him from me! His absence looks suspicious, too. He must be disposed of; not by the rope, thongh. He knows too much. He must be put out of the way quietly !”’ It was wonderful how coolly Jonathan looked at taking | 9), He spoke of it, and resolved upon it, as the | away a, life. most commonplace thing in the world. For the credit of humanity be it said, there have been few men so bad as Jonathan Wild. He turned the corner into Newgate-street, and in a few minutes reached his own door. In obedience to long habit he put his hand into the breast of his waistcoat for his master key, and then he recollected Jack Sheppard had taken it from him. The volley of oaths that came from his lips was some- thing awful, and seizing the heavy knocker in his hand, he grout it down with such violence as almost to split-the anel. “What do you ——?” said a voice fiereely, as the door was flung open; then when he saw who it was that had demanded admission, his behaviour underwent a remark- Lae change, and he added, Oh! Mr. Wild, is it you, sir Ee ee CHAPTER LI. JACK SHEPPARD AND LADY OSBORN SUSTAIN AN IRREPARABLE LOSS. LEAVING Jonathan Wild to the perpetration of fresh iniquities in his gloomy domicile, we will now, for a short space, follow the fortunes of Jack Sheppard and Sir Mar- maduke Osborn. As the thief-taker had more than suspeeted, the boat, as soon as it passed under the arches of the bridge, stopped at the side of one of the vessels at anehor there. That vessel was the Ringdove. The men assisted the two fugitives on board. Sir Marmaduke was still insensible. The efforts whieh Jack had made to revive him had proved of no avail. The Ringdove was one of the largest of the vessels that traded between London and Hamburg. She was now all ready for performing the return voyage. The captain caugaot Jack by the arm, and pointed across the water. ‘“* Look,” he said, “ there is your foe.” ** IT see him.” “He has lost us, and is bafHed to know how and where we have disappeared.”’ ‘The man is a perfect mystery to me,’ said Jack. “I have knocked him about enough to kill half-a-dozen ordi- nary men, yet there he is, looking as though nothing in the world was the matter with him.” The captain then gave orders to get the vessel under weigh, and in less than half-an-hour afterwards she was gliding slowly down the Thames. Upon further examination they found that Sir Marma- duke had struck his head violently against some projeetion in the boat. sree them, Jack and the captain brought him back to life. But when he recovered he was so frightfully exhausted that he could seareely lift his hand. As they anvroached their destination he grew worse and worse. The reaction whieh Jack foretold had come. Moving at the rate they did, it was a long time before the vessel reached Tilburyness. Jack’s impatience knew no bounds. She whom he loved had an enemy in Jona- than Wild, in addition to her villainous uncle. Even at that very moment she might be suffering the preaest peril from their machinations. The bare proba- ility almost maddened him, and his spirit chafed within 4im as he watched the sluggish progress of the vessel through the water. Abandou Sir Marmaduke until he had seen him safely A ww —— > ~~ ae eee em awe restored to his family he would not. He felt that to act otherwise would be base in the extreme. But, as all things must of necessity have an end, so ai last did the journey, and Jaek was delighted beyond measure when the eaptain showed him in the distance the plaee for whieh he was bound. it was now morning. The sun was high up in the sky, and shining brightly, making the wavelets on the rive sparkle hke diamonds. Sir Marmaduke was brought on deck. His eye bright- ened, and he said, faintly— ** At last! Once more I see you, my own happy home! { my young frend, my heart overflows with gratitude for the manifold services you have rendered me. Look aniong those trees : can you see the roof-tops of 2 mansion there ?” ** Quite plainly.” ** That, then, is Farleigh Priory.” ‘*'Your home ? ” _ “My home and yours, too, Jack, if you will but share it with me.” ‘“You are too kind and generous to me,” said Jack. “ You have not heard the story of my life; nor will there be time for me to tell it. However, there are circum- stances which will eompel me—at least at present—to decline your offer.”’ «¢ But Fe ** It concerns another. One like you, perseeuted by ler foes, but not so well able to do battle with them.” “A girl 2” ' **Yes; and one in whose welfare I feel the deepest interest.” ** Well—well; you havea brave heart. I have already had proof of that. Nothing would be further from my purpose than to attempt to eurb your inclination in any way. All I ean say is, while I live, so long wiil you find a friend, and so long as a roof shelters me, so long will you be weleome to share it.”’ _Jaek Sheppard pressed the hand of the baronet in silence. After a brief pause he spoke. “Tet usturn our attention to your own affairs,” he said. ‘*They require some consideration. What shall you do when you land?” Do? Go home.” “But you forget. You are not strong enough to walk. Besides, what efieect may not your sudden and unexpected appearance have upon your wife ?”’ “True. I had forgotten. What do you advise?” ‘If there is any house close to the shore, where you ean remaiu for a time, [ think you had better doso. I will then go on to the Priory, and prepare your wife for the surprise awaiting her.” ‘‘Thanks—thanks. There is a poor boatman’s cottage a little lower down, the inmates of which are mown to me. I will stop there, and you—you will” ‘‘T will go to the Priory, as I said.” “You can bring the earriage.”’ TY will.” ~ © And now about the payment of the captain ?”’ Tf you will permit me,’ said Jack, who had been fur- nished with money by Blueskin during their stay at the ‘Ship and Rainbow,” iu the Horseterry; “if you will permit me, I will see to that.” “*T shall then be under another obligation to you, and one which I can easily repay.” Jack upon this spoke to the captain, and gave him the sum he had been promised, at the same time requesting him to put them ashore as near the boatman’s cottage as he could, which was now only a few yards 1n advance. This was done, and the baronet was assisted into the rude dwelling-plaee by some of the crew. Having seen all perfectly safe, Jack proceeded to carry out his intention of visiting the Priory. Ho needed no guide, tor the upper portion of the man- sion could be seen quite plainly ; besides which, the lane, after winding through a eopse, termirited at the entrance ates. . 7 Every step Jack took filled him with delight. Brought up all his life in the midst of London, it is no wonder he should keenly appreciate the beauties of the country. The lodge-gates were closed, and he was firmly refused admittance until be told the man that he was the bearer Pat Cae = a aad : 78, — Ghoo Com S (SO) 5}