Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

200 “Not the least, sir. Towler’s searched ’em enough, depend upon it; and so I'll leave the dogs here to look after these chaps, and we'll go and get the water.”’ “ [ll remain here.”’ “You had better not.” ‘Why not?” “The dogs might get obstropolus when I’m gone, and then, sir’’ “True,” interrupted Jack, quickly, ‘“‘and I have no desire to feel their fangs.’’ Look after them,” said Gilpin, speaking to the dogs, and pointing to the two prostrate bodies. . A low growl was the response, and Jack fol- lowed the man towards the house, in search of water. | ‘‘T think, sir, that other one be dead,” said Gilpin ; ‘‘ and I suppose I[’ll get into a row for doing my duty to my master.” “ Of course an inquiry will be held into the cause of death, if he is dead ; but no jury would convict you,” said Jack. . “* Day is fast breaking, and we shall see how affairs stand.” The man obtained a jug of water, and together they returned to the man who had begged it. “You ‘don’t deserve a drop, unless it be on the gallows,” said Gilpin, kneeling down on the earth beside him; ‘* but here you are.”’ The man made? no sound or motion, and Jack, peering eagerly into his face, exclaimed— “ He ‘has: fainted; pour a drop ‘down. his throat, and over his'face and forehead, and then let us see to the other.” (10 ) Gilpin did as requested, then rising, approached the man whose body had received the charge of the blunderbuss. . | His face was deathly pale, and his features rigid, whilst his fingers were clenched tightly into the palms of his hands, and' his legs were stretched out straight. . | Jack touched. the face, and a shudder ran through his frame, as he hurriedly drew his hand away. . Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he thrust his fingers into the bosom, and laid his hand upon his heart. | _ There was‘no pulsation, and Jack leaped to his feet, exclaiming— ! a He will’commit no more burglaries, for he is ead!” -“ Good Lord! and I killed him!” eried the gardener. ‘* Do you think the other’s dead, too, sini” | a, : The burglar answered this question for him- self, by giving utterance to a deep groan. They approached him, and raised him from the earth, and placed the jug to his lips. The man took a deep draught, uttered a pro- longed sigh, and then, in a faint voice, asked— ‘** What will you do with me? Won’t you let me go?” ‘“ No,” said Gilpin. ‘ We'll take you to the house, and keep you there till the police come for you. You've done a pretty thing for your- self and I.” ‘They led him to the house, and, after a time, Jack took his departure, and promised to send on the first officer he met. 12 Aq a 5 aig ag es ere | : ae SPRING-HEEL D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. CHAPTER LXIX, JACK PLAYS A TRICK WITH A SCARECROW, AND ALARMS A COUNTRYMAN, , THERE is nothing more bracing to the nerves, or exhilarating to the spirits, than a sharp walk in the country at early morning, to see the sun rise above the tall trees filled with feathered life, and listen to the melody of a thousand ~ throats, to gaze upon the lark winging its way homeward, or pause to examine the dew- drops which, like diamonds, glisten on every flower. ons tein So green, so fresh, so luxuriant do the trees, the hedges, the grass appear, that we could almost chide the noon-day sun and dirt, that shall dull the freshness of everything around. = Tis early morn, when the primrose, the clematis, and the climbing rose is sweetest— then that the honeysuckle sheds its loveliest fragrance. Certainly the country is ever beauti- ful, but never so fresh, so fragrant, as when the dew is on the grass, and the lark springs from the corn. | | The dewsof night have washed and cooled the parched vegetation, and given it, as it were, new life and stamina. The climbing plants which twine about the hedgerows are full of flowers— flowers that-fade when the hot garish sun falls upon their petals, dulling their brightness, and curling around their many-hued cups. . | But at the present period of the year the corn is only peeping through the ground, and the poppy dots not the yellow sea of waving blades. Still the lark sings, and everything is gay, fresh, |and beautiful, and none could be a. greater liner of nature than our hero, Spring-heeled ack, : ene. It was broad day-light when he strode away from the mansion his timely warning had spared from being robbed, and the sun was rising amid a sea of red clouds. a, Feeling that now there was no particular cause for hurrying, he slackened his pace after a short time, and listened to the song of the birds as he culled ever and anon some wild, yet lovely flower. . : f Leaving the high road after’a time, he struck across a freshly, planted field, in order to take a nearer cut to the places where he intended to go, and, absorbed in a delightful reverie, he strayed from the beaten track without knowing that he had done so, and was: trampling down the fresh blades all unconscious of the mischief he was doing.. } 12 acter The flight of a lark, filling the air with its melody, broke the spell. which bound ‘him, and looking up suddenly, he became aware of where he was going, and gazed about for the path which led across the field. As he did so his glance lighted on a strange, ragged figure but a few paces from him—and a more miserable-looking object could scarcely be imagined. , my At the tirst glance Jack almost shuddered, at the second, he burst out into a loud fit of lauchter. | ‘* A scarecrow !” he said, when his mirth had | sty, ; ‘and if abject misery could afflict the | JOO GOmiG ‘Ss. Co AV { ’ \