Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

wees | OOOO ee ee 282 hurled to the earth and trampled on by the coaded steed. ‘““Coward !” cried Jack, indignantly. “Meddling fool!’ yelled the squire, ‘‘ take that, for your pains !—and that !—and that !”’ As he spoke, he struck Jack three blows across the shoulders with his whip. They were not light ones, either, and Jack eround his teeth together at the pain they in- flicted. “You shall suffer for this,” he cried, ‘Squire Hepworth. You shall find a different person to deal with than you expect.” “Stand aside | ”’ ““ We have a little affair to settle first, squire,” said Jack, still retaining his hold of the bridle. “Stand aside, or [ will trample you to death !”’ roared the squire. Grasping the bridle firmly in either hand, Jack forced the animal back still further. “Curse you! your blood be on your own head!” cried Hepworth, plunging in his spurs again, and at the same moment cutting at Jack’s shoulders with his whip. ‘Go, mare—over him! Trample him down into the dust! Curse you, for a fool!”’ ) But Jack’s hold of the bridle was too firm. The animal could only go backwards. Maddened beyond measure at Jack’s obsti- nacy and the triumphant howl that broke from the countryman’s lips at his discomfiture, the squire rose in his saddle, and, grasping his whip furiously, was about to deala terrific blow at our hero, when Jack suddenly released his hold of the bridle, and seized the squire by the leg. The horse, thus released, plunged forward, and the next instant Hepworth lay in the centre of the dusty road, while the animal bounded on at a furious gallop. Jack could hardly suppress a smile as the fallen man rolled over in the thick dust; and the countryman fairly shrieked with pleasure. If Squire Hepworth had been enraged before he was doubly so now. With a curse, loud and deep, he sprang to his eet. | The blue veins stood like ropes upon his fore- head, and his breath came in short gasps from between his clenched teeth. - Ilis face was blood red, and his whole frame trembled with passion. Aiapment he looked upon our hero, who stood calmly before him, and then he swung his whip ? aloft. ‘Wold, squire!” said Jack. ‘If you suffer that whip to touch me again, I will thrash you as you have thrashed that man, I’ve warned you, so beware !”’ “To hell with you and your warning both,” cried the squire. ‘I beat that hound because he robbed me. You interfered, and shall have your pay.’ ‘“ Beware! I say. You will find me no idle boaster—no. squire-fearing man—hut one who will keep his word. You know not whom you threaten, or you would pause ere you let fall that whip.’’ | “ Who are you?” sneered the squire, “I'd hilke to know the man who can terrify me?’ Jack slipped his hand hurriedly into the breast 13 Ct A. etiam ti ttt — é | of his coat, and, drawing forth his mask, fixed it SPRING-HEEL’D -JACK : THE TERROR OF LONDON. ina moment to his face. . “Tam Spring-heeled Jack!’ he cried. * And now you may be well assured what you will get if you perform your threats.” | Hepworth gazed upon him for several moments in silence. ‘““T have heard of you,” he said. ‘“ Heard of you as a scoundrel who can only annoy women and frighten children. A rascal’’—— ‘“‘ Hold, sir.” — Fe ‘‘ A rascal, I repeat,” cried the squire, ‘‘ whom every honest man should lash from his path as I do now.” As the squire spoke, the whip swept a circle round his head, and descended with a whizzing sound upon the shoulders of Jack, but not with ~ such force as it was intended; for our hero had sprang forward and clutched at the throat of Hepworth, and bore him to the ground. ! “Rascal in your teeth!’ cried Jack. ‘‘ You have had your turn, now it is mine.” | ‘‘ Planting his knees onthe breast of thesquire he pinioned him to the dusty road, and twisted the whip out of his hand. : .“ Coward! Would you strike me?” eried Hepworth. | ‘“Not while you are powerless,” said Jack, taking his hand from his throat. ‘‘ If you think my uature is like your own, you are mistaken.” He rose from over the prostrate man, and drew back, so as to permit the squire to regain his feet. This Hepworth was not slow in doing. Up he jumped, furious and foaming with passion, his hands clenched, and his chest. heaving. ‘¢ Villain!” he cried. ‘‘ Silence !” said Jack. ‘‘ As I told you, Squire Hepworth—for such, I believe, is your name—I intend to soundly thrash you with this whip you have so cruelly handled. It is but meet that you should know the amount of pain it in- flicts, so that you can judge what force to use when you desire to again apply it to the shoul- ders of any poor devil who may merit your dis- pleasure.’’” | ‘ ‘You will not dare,” eried the squire. “Oh! yes,” said Jack. “ At your peril.” a “Tma man of my word, Squire Hepworth, and always keep a promise made,” said Jack, with provoking coolness, playfully tapping his — boots with the whip. ‘‘ Remember, sir, I am a justice of the peace,” | said the squire. ‘“ Indeed!” sneered Jack. | ‘* Yes, and you will touch me at your peril.” ‘* Doubtless. But, justice or no justice, 1 shall keep my word,” said Jack. And the whip curled above his head. “I will put you in jail.” ** Bah 1” ~“*T will commit you to prison.” ‘You are not talking to yonder rustic,” said Jack, jerking his head towards the countryman, who forgot his own pain in the pleasure he derived from the squire’s defeat. “Go, fetch the officer, Hodge,” he cried. “Go! or it will be the worse for you.” 7 — — eer rm a com | 900 SCO Cc