Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 269: what you’re looking at

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

SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. 27) “It was the night after you were last here that Ellen went out to make a purchase, about} made inquiries, and no such person had been nine o’clock. She said she would not be gone! admitted to either.’’ more than five minutes, as she was only going) “I am.more and more puzzled,” said Jack, to the shop at the corner of the road. As she|rising and walking about the room with uneven did not come back shortly, I began to be alarmed, | strides. ‘I know of no one who would tear her and went to the gate to look for her, becoming | away from her home. She has never spoken of more and more anxious every moment, and | any persecutor to me.’’ when I heard the clock strike ten, and she did| ‘‘ Nor to me,” said Jane; “and we have no not come, I could not bear the suspense any | secrets from each other, I think.”’ \ longer, so | put on my bonnet, and went tothe) ‘“‘Strange—very strange!’’ muttered Jack; shop, to see if she was there.”’ “but I will fathom this mystery some how or “Well ?” saad Jack. other.”’ “When I got there, the person who keeps it} ‘Oh! do sir, do,’ cried Jane. was shutting up, and, in answer to my inguiry,! “I will leave no stone unturned to do so— he told me that she had not been there that | spare no expense—lose no time,” said Jack. night—mnor, indeed, had he seen her for two or| ‘Then, turning to Richard, he said— three days. Of course, I became more and; ‘I can féel for your disappointment, for it more wretched, and hurried back to see if she| must, indeed, be great ; for should this young had come home during my absence. But sbe| woman be your sister, her strange disappearance had not, and I could not rest. So I threw on! prevents not only your meeting, but learning the my shawl, and went out again.” sad and happy intelligence you have to com- “Go on, go on,” said Jack, as the woman paused. | municate.”’ “Well, sir, eleven o’clock— twelve o’clock| “I feel that she is my relative,” said the young came, and no Ellen. Buta little after midnight | man. the patrol rode by, and I told him of her strange} Jane, who had scarcely observed his presence disappearance. He promised to look out for) before, now looked hard at the speaker. her, and advised me to go to bed ; but, of course,| ‘‘ Ellen’s brother!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ Oh! how IT could not. I was so unhappy, so I sat up all) like her, you are.” night ; and next day—yesterday—I searched} ‘‘ You think so?” said Jack. everywhere, but no one had seen or heard any-| ‘‘ Yes. Do not you?” thing of her, and I have been so wretched ever} ‘‘ There is a likeness.” since. I could not write to let you know, forI| “A striking resemblance,’ said Jane. ‘‘ She did not know where to find you. But Iam so) has often spoken of her brother, and wondered glad you have come, for I am sure you will do| how he was getting on in the world, whether he all you can to find out where she is.”’ was dead or alive. And now you have come to Jack looked down thoughtfully and sorrow-|see her, she is not here !”’ : fully, then raised his eyes to the young man’s| “I am pained—deeply pained—at what I have face, over which a painful expression had spread | heard,’ said Richard. ‘‘Can she have gone to itself, | | any friends, and be remaining with them ?”’ He had listened eagerly to every word, but} ‘‘She has told me she has but one friend,” had made no remark ; and now, as his eyes met | replied Jane. Jack’s, a deep sigh escaped his lips. “And who is that?” asked Jack, turning “Gone!” said Jack. “There is something | quickly at the words. strange, very strange in this.” ‘© Vourself ! ” : “Yes ; for I do not believe she meant to go,’| ‘‘ Her only friend! And she may be in trouble, said Jane. and I unable to assist her,’ mused Jack. “‘I ‘“No. She has been detained against her | know not what to think!” will,’ said Jack. ‘“‘ But how ?—where?—by}| “Nor I,” said Jane. whom ?”’ “Nor I,” echoed Richard. ‘* T cannot think,’’ muttered Jane. ‘“T am loth to believe she can have met with “Nor I,” said Jack, thoughtfully tapping his foul play at the hands of anyone,’ said Jack, foot on the carpet. after a pause ; ‘and yet ” : “There is no villain Grasper to insult and| ‘*‘ What?” cried Jane, her face becoming pale annoy her,” remarked Jane. as death. No.9 But” «« Alas! there are wretches base enough for ‘ What?” asked Jane, eagerly. _ j|any crime in this world ; beings—for men they “Tsaae Levy might. But the idea is prepos- | are not—who would plunge their souls to eternal terous,”’ muttered Jack. ‘‘The old Jew would}damnation to render another wretched in this never seek to be revenged upon me by harming | life.” her.” ‘© Indeed—indeed there are!’’ said Jane, “‘ and “The man for whom she worked?” said} well do I know it.” Jane, who had heard of the affair at the pond. “The man who would dare harm my sister,”’ “The same.” exclaimed Richard, clenching his hand, and draw- -“T should not think he could be the cause of| ing his form proudly up as he spoke, “ had better her strange disappearance.” meet an enraged tiger than her brother.” . “Not tor a moment,” replied Jack. “The| His eyes sparkled as he spoke, and his nostrils idea is too absurd. No; the cause I cannot un-| dilated. derstand. Could she have been taken ill, and| ‘‘ Or me,” said Jack. “And though Miss Folder carried to an hospital or poorhouse?”* —« is no more to me than a friend whom I deeply ———— NE ——E—EEEE—E ee mg a GOMLEDOOKSAEO “The patrol told me last night that he had