Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

- LO LLl LLL ee ee ae ——. “No, itain’t. Come, pluck up. If you despair like this now before you are tried, what will you do afterwards if things go against you 2” * Dash out my miserable brains against the walls of my cell,” cried Slater. © Psha !” Slater heaved a deep sigh and looked at the black wall, now lighted up by the lantern. “It’s only a fool talks like that,” said the jailer. “It's only a fool would act as I have done,” said Slater. “Hold on—don’t say anything that would criminate yourself. Now, be more calm, and seek afew hours’ sleep. You are the most chicken- hearted fellow I’ve had for some time. You ain't tried yet, you know, and it’s better to hope | SPRING-HEEL'D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. 69 ' | sleep —at rest for ever,” replied the man sorrow- | . “ Yes.” fully. “Who? 7 ( *.5 . . . . . . | ‘Come, it’s no use making things worse,” said} “Hush! be silent. Would you leave thus | the warder. place? ” | : “That were i ible.” 6 ? 17 e impossible. WouldI? Oh, could [! ‘ Be calm, and you shall.” * When ?” cc Now.” c¢ Now ? 7 © Yes.”’ “Oh, speak! speak! tell me Iam not mad— I do not dream. ‘Tell me this, whoever you be.” ‘Rest assured you are all right if you will be cool and silent,” said he at the window. “Oh ! yes, yes.” “Can you reach these bars ? ” * Viess” ‘“ Do so, then.” Slater sprang upon his bed, and his fingers clutched the iron rails. “Take this, and file away at this bar,” said the man outside, forcing a little file into his than despair. Why, lor’ bless you, the chances| hand. are you will come out all right. An alibi, a flaw in the indictment, a confused witness, and a host of things may turn up in your fayour. Slater shook his head. ‘* Put a bold face on it, man, and take courage. Come, turn in, or you will wear yourself out.” Slater replied not. The man slipped back the little trap, and pur- sued his rounds. Slater listened for his footfall, but heard it not ; and flinging himself upon the bed, buried his face in the pillow to stifle the sobs that shook his very frame. : One o'clock struck by the prison bell, and as its echoes died away over the silent prison, a strange noise at the bars of the window above his head caused his heart to beat fiercely. He raised his eyes, and through the glass, in the dark heavens beyoud, he saw one bright twinkling star. He had watched it there the night before, but now its bright rays seemed to bid him hope. Fascinated, as it were, his gaze lingered upon the light speck in that black expanse, till it was shut out from his view by some object passing between it and his own vision. What could it be ? He sprang quickly up on the bed. He shaded his eyes with his hand, and with sre Uty suppressed the ery that rose to his lips. But he did suppress it, and gazed with strain- ing eyeballs at the little barred window. A slight scratching sound came now upon his ears—then a click, as a piece of glass was re- moved, and a face, the lineaments of which he could not make out, appeared above at the opening. | “Slater !” The voice was whispered; but how eagerly the ears of the poor wretch devoured it. But he could not reply. “Slater ! hist! I am your friend,” again came in a sort of hissing whisper through the bars. “My God! have I oue left in the wide wide world,” gasped the prisoner in a low tone. ‘“ Yes,” cried Slater, who seemed now as if the weight of a hundred years had been removed ‘from his frame. - : ‘Hush!’ you will alarm the warder. In his eagerness to be free once more, he had commenced filing at the bar so desperately, that the nvise made by the instrument upon the iron jarred loudly upon their ears. Slater trembled. He feared lest the sound had been heard. Pausing, he strained every nerve to listen. But all was still. With a grateful heart he recommenced his work at the bottom of the bar, while the man outside filed silently away at the top. Slater was anxious to know who it was who thus sought to effect his release, but fearful now to utter a sound, he asked no further questions. He had said he was his friend, and the peor forger was grateful to whoever it might be. They were moments of suspense he endured now, and he could hear his own heart beat within his bosom. But, oh ! how slowly did that file appear to him to cut into the iron. The little instrument did its work bravely, but the anxiety of the worker was so great that moments appeared to him hours. Inwardly he kept muttering— | “Oh! that the warder come not! Oh! that I | may escape ! ” . Suddenly a hand touched his arm, and staye its further movement. “TTist ! geet down! somebody comes! pretend to sleep ! Quick, quick! or you are discovered "’ At the same instant the figure disappeared from th2 window. With a sigh that was almost a groan, Slater dropped down upon his bed, and, forcing the file under the coverlid, pretended to sleep. Not one moment too soon was he; for scarce had he done so, than the little trap in the door was opened, and the warder’s light flashed upon the bed. “Gone to sleep at last,’ muttered the man ‘Poor devil! he hus got some little relief now.” | JOO Gomme <S7GO