Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: who can save me from a wretch, will not harm | me when powerless to protect myself.” “ You are right. Spring-heeled Jack is bad enough, but he is not lost to every sense of mapdhood. Come.” She took his arm, and walked out at a quick pace with him across the dark field till they had reached a-stile at the centre of the hedge. Assisting her over this, he held her hand in his own an instant, and said — ** Yonder lies your way, you will doubtless now meet with no molestation. Hurry on your road, and forget not to destroy that cheque after you have shownit to your husband, who, I trust, will prove he is in future worthy of the wife who would sacrifice all for his sake. Farewell, and if ever you think of this night, you will perhaps remember with kindness Spring-heeled Jack.” He shook her hand warmly, and ere she could utter a word of thanks, he had disappeared over the hedge again into the field, and the woman, with tearful eyes, and grateful heart, hurried on her way home. ““Wonder how the old man is,” he muttered, as he strode slowly along back over the field. “By my faith, but I not only disappointed him and spoilt his game, but gave him a fright he’ll not get over in a hurry—ha! ha! ha!” And he rubbed his hands together in high glee at the thought of the abject terror of the aged villain. Suddenly he paused, and shaded his eyes with his hands. | “ Hilloa, what’s that ?”’ he said, half aloud, as he fancied he perceived two dark objects coming over the field towards him. With his hand still shading his eyes, he looked in the direction for several moments. “Two of my pursuers, I take it, unable to find me in the road, have taken the field for it,” he continued, after a pause, ‘‘ let them come.” So saying, he laid himself down at full length upon the grass, and kept his eyes still riveted upon the approaching forms. Nearer and nearer they came, and at length their voices smote his ears, *« | tell you he is nowhere about here,” said one. “But I tell you that I am sure he is,’’ said the other. ‘‘ Why, I could swear that I saw the ‘figure of a man hereabouts, a little while since.” “So you said, but it was all imagination,” re- marked his companion. ‘“ Let us get back to the high road.’ _ “T tell you I won’t till I am certain he is not here in this field, and if he is I mean to havea pop at him,” said the other in a determined tone. ‘““Be careful, or you may get in for man- slaughter !”’ ““T don’t care!” * But Ido!” “Well, I don’t. He frightened my sister nearly to death the other night, and it is high time some one put a stop to his career. It’s shameful that people can't go out after dark without running the risk of being driven mad by his antics. I’ve kept this pistol loaded ever since, and he shall have a bullet in his legs that will take the spring out of them if I come across him.” a =. aS THE TERROR OF LONDON. 7 “ Much obliged to you, very much,” muttered Jack to himself. On they eame, till they were within about half a dozen yards of the prostrate man, when they stopped suddenly, and one of them askzd— © What's that ?” What?” “There! ” “Where ?” ‘There, on the ground, yonder ?” ““T see—it’s ”—— What?” “ Blessed if J know !” “ Tt’s something dark!” “Yes, it’s” 4 Who ? 7 © Him? “ What, Spring-heeled Jack ?” cc Yes.” “<The devil ! “ Hold!” What for ?” | “Tn ease it ain’t him. Challenge him first.” ‘Hi! there; who are you?” said the man, holding the pistol towards the object on the eround. There was no answer. ““ Speak, or I fire!” Still no answer. “Let us go a little nearer,” said his cautious companion. “ It’s so dark, one can hardly tell what it is.” “ T’'m sure it’s a man.” “J think it is; but perhaps it’s only some poor devil asleep.’’ “You go and see,” he es ‘* ‘No, you go.” “¢ What, are you frightened ?” | “No; only you've got the pistol,” said his companion. “Yes, but if you go and find it’s him, I can stand here and fire, you know.” ‘ ‘““ You could hit him better if you was nearer,” said his companion, afraid to take another step. “ Besides you might miss him and hit me. Let’s both go.” The two men now moved forward slowly towards Jack, who, the moment they had got up to him, and were just in the act of stooping down to examine him more minutely, gave a sudden bound upwards between them, and ex- tending his arm at the, same time hurled them both to the earth. “ Murder! mur—murder !” shouted the man, as the pistol was hurled from his grasp, and he rolled over, clutching in terror at his com- panion. ““ Help! thieves!” shouted the other, loudly. “Baker, why don’t you fire? He’s choking me—he’s choking me!” And in his terror, the cautious man fairly believed that it was Spring-heeled Jack who had got hold of his throat instead of his companion, whilst the other was unable to tell whether it was his friend’s throat he was clutching or Jack's. With a loud laugh Jack picked up the pistol which had struck his foot, and waited till the two friends should gain sufficient composure to know the true state of affairs. Here goes then.” | JOCK co ANKE