Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

* _ ~ . - - - = 6 SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON, eerste wy et yt ce a oe ES SL | a na eS he sprang from the parapet, and alighted on the footpath in front of the house, as the report of a pistol broke the stillness of the night, and a bullet flew harmlessly over his head. “T'}]l mark you for that,” he said to himself, as he tore away at arapid pace, bearing the girl in his arms. The report of the pistol he knew would arouse the whole neighbourhood ; and he sped on tiil the houses gave place to fields and hedgerows. “Tt is not so easy a matter to leap up with a woman in your arms as it is to leap down,” he muttered. ‘I have saved her from that villain’s ' wiles, and her husband from a gaol if 1 am not mistaken; but I must not leave her till she recovers, so that I can place the cheque in her hand, and make the heart, which a few minutes since was bowed with grief, pant with hope and joy. Hillo! there is some one in pursuit. I must not be taken with the accusation of robbery.” He lifted the woman over a low portion of the hedge, and let her form slip quietly down on the opposite side, then bounded over after her. “ Stop him—stop thief?” came in a shout to his ears; and he crouched down under the hedge, tore off his gloves and mask, and turned his cloak. The footsteps came nearer and nearer, then passed him, and were soon lost in the distance. A sigh broke from the woman’s lips. “¢ Are you better?’ he asked. The woman sprang to her feet. » “Who are you? Where am 1?” she asked, in terror. ‘“‘'Where you are safe, and with one who saved you from that scoundrel. Yes, and saved your husband, too; for here is the cheque— destroy it. Make your way home as quick as you can ?” “ Oh! heaven!” gasped the woman, quietly, who are you, my preserver ?” “ One who is not.so black as he is painted— Spring-heeled Jack.” And pressing the cheque into her hand, he sprung over the hedge into the road. CHAPTER III. SPRING-HEELED. JACK’S REVENGE ON THOSE WHO SOUGHT HIS CAPTURE. SURPRISE, hope, and joy, imtermingled to- gether, leapt into that poor woman's | ert, as the words of her saviour fell upon her «ars, and she crumpled in her hand the cheque wuich her husband, in a moment of temptation, had forged upon the man whose base soul had prompted him to seek her ruin by fears for her husband’s safety. But soon her joy was surmounted by a fresh terror. Where was she? She could not tell. She gazed around. All was dark. On one side a thickset hedge. On the other a large black space which she knew must be a field. As she stood half-bewildered, a distant clock | struck twelve. | ‘Great heavens! What shall I do? Tow shall I find my way home to him—him. I came to save. Oh! heaven! what a trial have I passed through. What should I be now ‘but for that stranger, whose name ere this night has struck so much terror to my soul? Alas! I must not—dare not—think of it. May heaven ‘reward him for saving me from worse than ~ death—my husband from a felon’s doom! Let men speak of Spring-heeled Jack as a wretch who deserves no pity; but while I live, I shall ever remember with thankfulness and gratitude the service he has rendered me and mine. Bless him—bless him !” ; “ By my faith, it’s little else than curses J have received,” said a voice on the other side of the_ hedge ; “and doubtless I have deserved them. Do not fear, I will not harm you.” And as he finished speaking, he bounded over the hedge to her side. | “ Now,” he said, “ you are doubtless anxious to reach home ?” ‘* Indeed 1 am.” “ And doubly so, perhaps, to bear welcome tidings to one you love,” he added, tapping her hand with his finger. | The woman sighed. ‘¢ You are right, sir,” she said, in a low, chok- ing tone, : “That old rascal little thought there was one listening at the window to his base and dis-. . honourable proposition,” continued Jack. The woman answered not. She averted her face to hide the blush of shame which mantled her cheeks. There was no need for her to do so, for the night was dark—so dark that the outline of her face could scarcely be traced by the cloaked | ficure, much less the lineaments of* her coun- tenance. “Yes, I heard all—saw all,” he continued, after a pause. ‘“‘ Saw the fearful struggle that was going on in your heart. Oh! it is a sad thing when man stoops to crime—forgets the misery his thoughtless acts may inflict upon others. But there, we are none of us faultless— none can throw the first stone. You have saved him this time. Let that be a warning to him) to sin no more.”’ | ‘“ Oh! sir, could he but know the agony Ihave endured ” Henin ‘“ He would beg—starve, before he forgot that an honest name is dearer than all else in the world,” interrupted the man. “ But there—the Subject is painful. You wish to bear home the good tidings that your husband is safe. Where do you live 2?” ‘* Britannia fields.” “ Come this way, then,” said the stranger, taking her arm, Fear not, I will not harm you. To take the high road may be dangerous. The neighbourhood is alarmed, and those accursed villains might do you some mischief yet. Do you fear me ?” . “ Fear you?” cc »? eres ies No,” said the woman boldly. The man om (Ele) nn ichooks:z ~~ —