Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 178: what you’re looking at

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

180 SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. | « Who?” The man started back. ml “ Spring-heeled Jack!” “Secrecy,” he said, “about what? Nothing “ Ah! ha!” eried Jack, dashing the man’s | honourable requires secrecy.” 0a 0 . hand from his arm; “and who are you? But} “Listen to me, and you shall judge.” © 7 I recollect,’ -he added, extending his hand,| ‘Go on,” said the man. 6,2 ‘you are the man, who, believing me actuated| “ You see that stable ? | by some base purpose, sought to effect my cap-| ‘I do.” ture, as I hurried to save a poor girl from a watery grave. You are the man who struggled with me near London-bridge some time since.” “Tam,” said the man; but not offering to accept the proffered hand of our hero. ‘I am the man who sought to hand you over to the police, and who would have done so, but that want had weakened my once robust frame. Spring-heeled Jack, I am poor and starving, and hence unequal to cope with you, or I would again detain you till ”’—— Jack placed his hand on the man’s shoulder, and in a kindly voice, said — ‘‘ Why would you seek to deprive me of my liberty ?” AE Wihiy-0 8 “ Aye, why?” ‘€ Because L believe you to be a ruffian—because you roam the streets at night to insult and inti- midate the peaceably-disposed—because you are guilty of actions which would place a poor wretch like me upon the treadmill—because” “Stop, my friend,” said Jack; ‘I will admit that my love for adventure sometimes causes me to overstep the bounds of prudence ; but you do me an injustice if you believe me guilty of wantonly injuring or insulting any one. You believed, on the night when we before met, that I was seeking to annoy the poor girl I was follow- ing, and acting upon that supposition you showed yourself a man. I had no such motive in view, and upon my sacred honour I saved that girl from a watery grave. You have heard only the dark side of my character, and I will admit that it is bad enough; but I am not the callous- hearted wretch you believe me. Gold will purchase immunity from many sins, but gold has never purchased me my freedom or exonera- tion-from any guilty act. Your appearance bespeaks your poverty. I would aid you with- out seeking to know how you came thus. Take my hand. You need not blush to do so; it never yet harmed the innocent or the wretched.” The man looked at him, and still hesitated. “Will you take it,” said Jack, “and with it a trifle to aid you in your present necessities ?” The man took the proferred hand. ““{ will take your hand,” he said, “but not your money. Jam too proud to seek a bed in a workhouse, and I am too proud to accept charity of you.” “Tush, man; I can well afford to help you, and to do so will give me pleasure.” ‘“ No, sir ; 1 do not seek charity. I am willing to work for my bread if I can get it, but I can- not beg, neither can I steal.” “God forbid that you should!” said Jack. “The words you have uttered before this night are sufficient to prove that your heart is cast in the right mould. I will not again insult you by forcing charity upon you, but will give you the means of earning sufficient to better your condi- tion, and all I ask in return is secrecy.”’ be my enemy for life. ‘Tt belongs to the hotel in the road.” ““T know it does.”’ “ T frequent that place when in this neighbour- hood.” . Well.” “4 ‘‘ To-day the proprietor informed cellar wasnightly robbed, and, in spite of all, the delinquent could not be discovered, and he pro- mised the sum of twenty pounds to anyone who could give up the rascal. It was not the money, but the love of adventure which tempted me to seek to discover the thief, and unknown to any- one, I concealed myself in the cellar, and have now not only found the villain, but made him prisoner in the very scene of his delinquencies. Of course, I have earned the twenty pounds, or partially done so. That sum may be yours. Go to the hotel, arouse the proprietor, tell him to seek the thief in his cellar, and as he is a man of honour, ask him for the twenty pounds he pro- mised for the discovery, and he will give it you. Only, say not that Spring-heeled Jack is the same man to whom he made that promise this morning.” Th ar “ Ts not this another of your tricks ?” said the man. , ) “No; andif you will not accept a gift from me, doas I wish you, and receive the promised reward. I have spoken truly, and Mr. Larkin will hand you the money, and may it be the means of raising you from your present position.” “Tdo not think you are triflmg with me,” said the man, half-doubtingly. 143 “Tam not, onmysoul!” — now Ve *‘’ Then I will go. If you are playing me a trick—if you seek to raise hopes in my breast only to gratify a wicked feeling—heaven forgive you.” as! ‘‘ Goand judge for yourself. If I speak falsely I am bad enough, as I said before, but Iam not so unfeeling as to seek to embitter an already suffering heart. | Fare- well, now. We may some day meet again, and when we do, I hope you will think better of Spring-heeled Jack.” OM Our hero turned away as he spoke, and hur- riedly left the mews ; but he did not go far be- fore he sprang into the shadow of sunken door- way, from whence he could see the entrance to the hotel. ae Here he stood and watched. Presently he saw the man approach, hesitate on the steps, then slowly mount them and ring the bell. Pa A smile passed over Jack’s face. ** Poor devil!” he said. “ It will be a good night’s work for him. Oh! the porter has ad- mitted him. I will wait here and see what transpires,’ and taking a cigar from his case, he lit a piece of German tinder, and puffed away at on weed, keeping his eye fixed upon the hotel oor. ih Eon me that - there was a thief in his establishment. His - Ebooksnco