United States or France ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Presently, as he sat absorbed in his meal, his arms were suddenly pinioned from behind. The old woman had him tight, so that he could not use his weapons, while at a call constables, who had been posted about, rushed in and secured him. The old woman was in fact a man in disguise. A relation of the thief-taker still lives and tells the tale.
As it was feared that some mischief would ensue, Wild volunteered, if he were allowed a small body of men, to ride forward to Tyburn, and keep the ground clear until the arrival of the prisoner. This suggestion being approved, was instantly acted upon, and the thief-taker, accompanied by a body of the grenadiers, rode forward.
He drew both his pistols, and prepared for a desperate encounter. "There is another mystery I would have solved," said Trenchard, addressing Wild; "you have told me much, but not enough." "What do you require further?" asked Jonathan. "The name and rank of Thames Darrell's father," said the knight. "Another time," replied the thief-taker, evasively.
The latter haughtily returned his salutation, and flung himself, as if exhausted, into a chair. "You've arrived sooner than I expected, Sir Rowland," observed the thief-taker. "Lost no time on the road eh! I didn't expect you till to-morrow at the earliest. Excuse me an instant while I dismiss this person.
While he thus vented his rage, the door again opened, and Quilt Arnold rushed into the room, bleeding, and half-dressed. "'Sblood! what's this!" cried Jonathan, in the utmost surprise. "Quilt Arnold, is that you?" "It is, Sir," sputtered the janizary. "I've been robbed, maltreated, and nearly murdered by Jack Sheppard." "By Jack Sheppard!" exclaimed the thief-taker.
I charged the thief-taker, as was the fact, with having robbed me, by means of the lad Sheppard, whom he instigated to deed, of the very pocket-book he produced in evidence against me; but it was of no avail I couldn't obtain a hearing. Mr. Wood fared still worse.
In this state it would have been all over with him, as, being stunned by the fall, it was some moments before he could recover himself, if another party had not unexpectedly come to his rescue. This was Blueskin, who burst through the trees, and sword in hand assaulted the thief-taker.
But street-robbing being a very new thing at Dublin, it so alarmed that city that they never ceased pursuing him, and one or two more who joined with him, till catching them one night at their employment, they pursued Carrol so closely that he was obliged to come to a close engagement with a thief-taker, so he was killed upon the spot. But to return to Blake, alias Blueskin.
I remembered that an ancient thief-taker, who had retired from his useful calling, and who frequently visited the office of my master at law, the respectable S , who had the management of his property I remembered to have heard this worthy, with whom I occasionally held discourse, philosophic and profound, when he and I chanced to be alone together in the office, say that all first-rate thieves were sober, and of well-regulated morals, their bodily passions being kept in abeyance by their love of gain; but this axiom could scarcely hold good with respect to these women however thievish they might be, they did care for something besides gain: they cared for their husbands.
Wudd I'm here, and have brought him a message from his unlawful son, and don't be detainin' me, my darlin', for there's not a minute to lose if the poor lad's to be recused from the clutches of that thief and thief-taker o' the wurld, Jonathan Wild."
Word Of The Day