wishes are my laws, beloved, girl,” replied Kneebone, bowing profoundly. “Captain Darren,” he added, sternly, “you shall hear from me.”
“When you please, Sir,” said Thames, coldly.
And the woollen-draper departed.
“What is all this, dear Winny?” inquired Thames, as soon as they were alone.
“Nothing — nothing,” she answered, bursting into tears. “Don’t ask me about it now.”
“Winny,” said Thames, tenderly, “something which that self-sufficient fool has said has so far done me a service in enabling me to speak upon a subject which I have long had upon my lips, but have not had courage to utter.”
“Thames!”
“You seem to doubt my love,” he continued — “you seem to think that change of circumstances may produce some change in my affections. Hear me then, now, before I take one step to establish my origin, or secure my rights. Whatever those rights may be, whoever I am, my heart is yours. Do you accept it?”
“Dear Thames!”
“Forgive this ill-timed avowal of my love. But, answer me. Am I mistaken? Is your heart mine?”
“It is — it is; and has ever been,” replied Winifred, falling upon his neck.
Lovers’ confidences should be respected. We close the chapter.
CHAPTER 7.
JACK SHEPPARD WARNS THAMES DARRELL.
On the following night — namely Monday — the family assembled together, for the first time since the fatal event, in the chamber to which Thames had been introduced on his arrival at Dollis Hill. As this had been Mrs. Wood’s favourite sitting-room, and her image was so intimately associated with it, neither the carpenter nor his daughter could muster courage to enter it before. Determined, however, to conquer the feeling as soon as possible, Wood had given orders to have the evening meal served there; but, notwithstanding all his good resolutions upon his first entrance, he had much ado to maintain his self-command. His wife’s portrait had been removed from the walls, and the place it had occupied was only to be known by the cord by which it had been suspended. The very blank, however, affected him more deeply than if it had been left. Then a handkerchief was thrown over the cage, to prevent the bird from singing; it was her favourite canary. The flowers upon the mantel-shelf were withered and drooping —she had gathered them. All these circumstances — slight in themselves, but powerful in their effect — touched the heart of the widowed carpenter, and added to his depression.
Supper was over. It had been discussed in silence. The cloth was removed, and Wood, drawing the table as near the window as possible — for it was getting dusk — put on his spectacles, and opened that sacred volume from which the best consolation in affliction is derived, and left the lovers — for such they may now be fairly termed — to their own conversation. Having already expressed our determination not to betray any confidences of this sort, which, however interesting to the parties concerned, could not possibly be so to others, we shall omit also the “love passages,” and proceeding to such topics as may have general interest, take up the discourse at the point when Thames Darrell expressed his determination of starting for Manchester, as soon as Jack Sheppard’s examination had taken place.
“I am surprised we have received no summons for attendance to-day,” he remarked; “perhaps the other robber may be secured.”
“Or Jack have escaped,” remarked Winny.
“I don’t think that’s likely. But, this sad affair disposed of, I will not rest till I have avenged my murdered parents.”
“’The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer‘,” said Wood, who was culling for himself certain texts from the scriptures.
“It is the voice of inspiration,” said Thames; “and I receive it as a solemn command. The villain has enjoyed his security too long.”
“’Bloody and deceitful men shall not live half their days‘,” said Wood, reading aloud another passage.
“And yet, he has been spared thus long; perhaps with a wise purpose,” rejoined Thames. “But, though the storm has spared him, I will not.”
“’No doubt,’” said Wood, who had again turned over the leaves of the sacred volume —’, “no doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he escaped the seas, yet vengeance suffereth not to live‘.”
“No feelings of consanguinity shall stay my vengeance,” said Thames, sternly. “I will have no satisfaction but his life.”
“’Thou shalt take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death‘,” said Wood referring to another text.
“Do not steel your heart against him, dear Thames,” interposed Winifred.
“’And thine eye shall not pity,’” said her father, in a tone of rebuke, “’but, life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.’”
As these words were delivered by the carpenter with stern emphasis, a female servant entered the room, and stated that a gentleman was at the door, who wished to speak with Captain Darell on business of urgent importance.
“With me?” said Thames. “Who is it?”
“He didn’t give his name, Sir,” replied the maid; “but he’s a young gentleman.”
“Don’t go near him, dear Thames,” said Winifred; “he may have some ill intention.”
“Pshaw!” cried Thames. “What! refuse to see a person who desires to speak with me. Say I will come to him.”
“Law! Miss,” observed the maid, “there’s nothing mischievous in the person’s appearance, I’m sure. He’s as nice and civil-spoken a gentleman as need be; by the same token,” she added, in an under tone, “that he gave me a span new crown piece.”
“’The thief cometh in the night, and the troop of robbers spoileth without,’” said Wood, who had a text for every emergency.
“Lor’ ha’ mussy, Sir! — how you do talk,” said the woman; “this is no robber, I’m sure. I should have known at a glance if it was. He’s more like a lord than —”
As she spoke, steps were heard approaching; the door was thrown open, and a young man marched boldly into the room.
The intruder was handsomely, even richly, attired in a scarlet riding-suit, embroidered with gold; a broad belt, to which a hanger was attached, crossed his shoulders; his boots rose above his knee, and he carried a laced hat in his hand. Advancing to the middle of the chamber, he halted, drew himself up, and fixed his dark, expressive eyes, on Thames Darrell. His appearance excited the greatest astonishment and consternation amid the group. Winifred screamed. Thames sprang to his feet,
