Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 313: what you’re looking at

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make your acquaintance; but will leave you now, to talk over affairs to yourselves.’ “But not before you tell me who to thank,” said the young man in tones of surprise and pleasure, as he drew Mildred towards him. “ Certainly, —Spring-heeled Jack! Fare- | well!” As Jack spoke, he took one of his tremendous springs, and disappeared. over a garden wall, beside which they had been standing. —_— ——~. CHAPTER CVIII. JACK AT WIS PRANKS.—GOOD NEWS AT LAST. Tne exclamation of surprise which broke from John Harkwright in the street was echoed by an elderly lady in the garden into which Jack ~had fallen, among a beautiful bed of geraniums, which the aged female was denuding of their dead leaves at the moment that our hero alighted on his feet right before her. | She was a strange-looking personage, this old lady—for old she certainly was, despite the flowing black curls that fell over her wrinkled | police! cheeks and twined around her shoulders. Her face was pinched, although her cheeks were rosy, but it was not the natural tint of health and youth, but the free application of rouge, which gradually peeled off the yellow, wrinkled skin as her terror caused the blood to stacnate around Jer heart. . | _ The moment Jack discovered he was not alone he clapped his mask to his face, and bending over the old woman, exclaimed, in a low tone — “Silence!” There was no need for the demand ; for the moment the old Jady’s eyes rested on his up- turned features all power of speech was denied her, and from a stooping position she sank into a kneeling one, rolling her eyes in terror from side to side, and trembling in every limb. | - Jack stood gazine upon her for some time, while a scornful and pitying smile stole over his face, and a feeling of contempt pervaded his heart at the absurdity of a woman near seventy years’ of age trying to make herself appear as young as a girl of twenty. Jack cast a look around him, to-satisfy himself that there was no one at hand, and then, turning to the terrified lady, exclaimed— “ Pray, madam, how old are you? It cer- tainly may not appear a very polite question on | the part of a stranger ; but curiosity is sc strong within me that I must: yield to its demands, even at the risk of being thought rude.” “Go—go away, you naughty, ugly man,” gasped the lady. “ You have no right in my garden.” *“Nauchty man!” said Jack. “ Come, that’s better than usual. Most people, at first sight, have taken me for the devil; but this lady is a more acute observer of human nature, and has discovered on the instant that I am only a man. | ‘© T should not have intruded,” continued Jack, ‘had I expected to meet so charming a creature. Pray, get up; you will catch cold kneeling there --— <—J-— Eg ee em —— _— : - Eee ne ant ne _~ myo. | SPRING-HEBL D JACK : THE TERROR OF LONDON. and I positively discover you to be a charming on the srass. Allow me, madam, to assist you to your feet.” . He extended his hand, but the lady uttered a cry, and sprang up unaided. “What an agile frame!” said Jack. ‘“ Would you believe it, madam, I positively took you, at first sight, to be an old, decrepid specimen of humanity, with one foot and a-half in the grave? creature of more than ordinary beauty. Such rosy cheeks! such pearly teeth! such sylph-like movements and graceful carriage! such beauti- ful eyes and hair! such Hallo! who the devil’s this coming ?” Jack turned quickly round, and perceived a servant-girl tripping lightly along the garden walk towards them. The girl no sooner perceived him than she uttered a sharp cry, and turned and fled towards the house. The old lady, as soon as Jack’s back was turned towards her, took advantage of the cir- cumstance, and darting through the splendid bed of geraniums, hurried away, calling, in a squeak- ing tone— “ Mary—Mary! go for the police—go fur the 193 “ Whew?” muttered Jack; “that won't do, for I have got an appointment with young Clavering. No police to-night. I haven't time to play with them.” 0, -leaping over the bed of geraniums, he caught the old lady by the arm, and brought her to an instant standstill. | “ Call you maid to your side, do you hear me, madam ? If she give any alarm, it will be the worse for you, I assure you.’ “What business have you in my garden? How dare you come here, sir ?”’ “ T dare do anything that pleases me, madam. Call back the girl,” said Javk, in a threatening tone. “T won't. She has gone for the police to take you into custody. You rude man—you robber—you ”’ “Madam !.” “T am not afraid of you,” said the woman, suddenly bridling up, and showing some spirit. “T would warn you not to suffer that girl to enter the house.”’ “ You warn me? ”’ “Yes, me!” “ Who are you? ”’ “People call me Spring-heeled Jack!” _ “Oh!” shrieked the old lady, her former terror returning on the instant. ‘* Murder— thieves—fire—help =police !”” “ Silence!” cried Jack, placing his hand over her lips. “Murder! mur” The rest of the sentence could not force its way through Jack’s fingers. “ Call back the girl. Call her, I say, or” “Yes, yes. Oh! dear. Mary—Mary, come here,” cried the lady,in tones of abject terror and dismay. ‘‘ Oh! dear, to think that I should live to see the monster. Oh! dear—oh! dear. I shall die. I shall faint, I know I shall. Mur— no, Mary—Mary! oh! come here, it’s only Mr. } 7) Spring-heeled Jack ! LLL a ST Ta — 315 A em | oe ew Ce CLL - — _ Eomicbooks sco