Run to Earth

landlord of the 'Jolly Tar' returned from his business excursion, and presente

his head upon the table; and on being pressed a little, Valentine Jernam told his

d Dennis Wayman, when the story was finished. "You dreamt you w

creature on board besides myself; not a human voice to answer me when I called. And the face - there was something so awful in the face - smiling at

ative attitude. Bold and reckless though he was, the superstition of his class

went to sleep in an uncomfortable position, and you had an uncomfortable dream, with no more sense nor reason in it than such dreams gene

bowl of punch ordered by the open-handed sailor, who wa

of company happened now to Captain Jernam. He began by winning, an

s of punch, before his luck changed, and he had occasion to take out the

ver, the fumes of the strong liquor had already begun to mount to his brain, and the clerk was completely forgotten. He opened his pocket-book every time

losses only amounted to a few pounds. But the sense of defeat annoyed him. He was feverishly

that," he said; "I want my

a little Dutch clock i

le walk between me and home. My girl, Jenny, will be w

, Valentine Jernam had forgotten the ballad-singer. But this mentio

r daughter! Yes; the girl who sang

rink, while they themselves took very little. They had encouraged him to talk as well

fortune which had attended his latest trading adventures; and he had said enough

one of your banking rogues for me. My brother Georg

ilor declared that he would have his revenge. They were getting

's only fair that he should have it. Suppose we go down to your place, Mil

ke the captain," he said. "My daughter Jenny will do her best to make things straight and c

ughter will give us a crust of bread and cheese, I shall be satisfied. We'll take two or three bottles of

ady, and Milsom followed him, but they did not leave Captain Jernam much time for thou

!" he said; "it's a dark night,

ng, darker still on the road by which Valenti

gig - and the pony was a vicious-looking animal, with a shaggy mane; but he was a tremendous pony to

told Valentine Jernam that the river was near at hand; but b

on left Lon

nd which there was a low~roofed habitation of some kind or other, which was visible only by reason of one faint glimmer of light, flickering athwart a scrap of dingy red curtain. The dull,

m," said the landlord, as he drew

uch a night as this," answered Black

icious pony to a broken-down shed, which served as

ew more familiar with the locality, he was able t

rcely have been garden within the memory of man. By one side of the house there was a wi

ituation of your cottage, mate,"

here was an old miser as cut his throat here seven or eight year ago, and the place has been left to go to decay ever since. The miser's ghost walks about here sometime

r into the lively abode, which the prejudice of we

rap of fire burnt in a rusty grate. She had been sitting in a listless attitude, with her hands

affection; she looked at him with a strange, wondering gaze; and

recognized him, a transient look, almost like hor

ne; so we shall do well enough. Look sharp, lass. You're in one of your tempers to-night, I suppose; but you ought to know that don't answer with me. I say, captain," added the man, with a laugh, "if ever you're going to

. He was sure this brutal wretch, Milsom, used her badly, and he rejoiced to think that he had disregarded all Joyce Harker's warnings, and penetrated into the scoundrel's home. He rejoiced, f

would return his love, or be grateful for his devotion. He thought o

ld have waited till his host's daughter had seated herself; but she had laid no plate or k

're in for a jolly night of it, and you'l

e to

ner you follow him will be so mu

aze, which seemed to compel him to return her look, as if he had been fascinated by the profo

Milsom. "There never w

and followed his da

ree or four bed-chambers. The house had been originally something m

tanding at the top of the stai

ng there for?" asked the man

or here?" inquired the girl, wi

here because he wanted to come. Is that a good answer? I've brought him here becau

hideous night three years ago, when you brought home the foreign sailor, and what happened to that man will happen to this one. Father," cried the girl, suddenly and

arm should c

in silence, with her head bent, and her face in shadow; th

d; "the other! I remembe

your mad talk? Get to bed, and go to sleep. And the sounder you sleep the

the dreary room which she called her own. Milsom shut the door upon her, and locked it with a key which he took from his pocke

pressed to eat and drink by Dennis Wayman, and who had yiel

t looking out into the inky darkness of the night, and li

and then a hearty shout of laughter seemed to shake the crazy rafters; but p

ight - first the loud voices and laughter; then the silence; th

d sank in a crouching position by the ope

ind blowing in upon her. All seemed tranquil in the room below. The voices sounded no

east - the first pale flicker of dawn. The girl ra

ended!" she murmured: "if it

ing. Louder with every moment grew those angry voices. Then came a struggle; some article of furniture fell with a crash; there was the sound

nd of one loud groan, and then su

ards the road. From that window she could se

m. It was securely locked, as

come between them and their victim,

herself down, dressed as she was. She d

, a key turned in the lock, and the door was opened b

he girl's pale face. Her eyes were close

d to some one outside

and closed th

mpleted by the 4th of April. On the morning of the 5th the vessel was a picture, and

ir re-union on board the trim little craft: and he had made arrangement

on the appointed morning. He expected that the brothers would be punctual;

y. The landlord was alone in the bar, reading a paper. He lo

asked Joyce; "I expect Captain Jernam and h

te room at this time of day. Jernam - Jernam, did you

arro'; for it isn't above a week since he was here with me. He dined here, and slept he

nd, that I don't remember them by name," said Dennis Wayman; "but I do rem

I'll take a glass of rum for the good of the house; and if you can

e room, where Dennis took h

ge outside. The time seemed very long to him, watching and listening. The minute-hand of the Dutch clock moved slowly on. He turned ev

thus for

to be punctual. And then he's so fond of his brother. He'd scarcely care t

dlord was scrutinizing the addre

r friend's name was

d

lying here for the last two or three days; bu

tine Jernam, of the 'Pizarro', at the 'Jolly Tar', care

zed George Je

no meeting yet awhile. Captain George is off to the East Indies on some new venture, I dare say. But

Cross was a long journey for Joyce; but he had no idea of indulging in any such luxury as a hackney~coach. It

e forenoon, after saying that he should return at night; and in evidence that such had been his intention,

o bad hands. But how and where? He'd never, surely, go back to the 'Jolly Tar', after what I said to him. And where els

one thing that Joyce Harker could do, and that was to go back to t

ing gas-lamps were lighted. The bar of the tavern was crowded, and th

and Thomas Milsom was drinking at the b

nything of the c

t been here s

sure o

te s

here within the week, hasn't he? He was

your seafaring friend hasn't darkened my doors since t

ssage into the public room, where the so-called concert h

r and attitude, as she sat by the pia

o the bar. This time there was no one but Milsom and Wayman in the

ked up at the sound of

music already?

ptain. He had an appointment to meet his brother here to-day at twelve o'cloc

s big enough, and old enough, to take care o

tine Jernam, or a finer fellow at sea; but I don't think, if you searched from one end of this city to the other, you'd find a greater innocent on shore. I'm afraid

; "and there's some queer characters about

they will, and let them be as cunning as they will, the dog will smell them out, sooner or later, and will tear them to pieces when he finds them. I'm Captain Jernam's dog, Mr. Dennis Wayman; and if I don't find my master, I'll hunt till I do find those that have got him out of the way. I don't know what

yce Harker looked from Dennis Wayman to Black Milsom, and this time the masks they were accustomed to

or my captain," said Jo

n looked at each other earnest

man," said

s afraid of a hunchback's bluster? I dare say

f sailors and merchant captains; but wander where he would, and inq

hours' sleep in a tavern at Shadwell,

inquiries were repeated with indomitable perseverance, in every

ned his back upon a tavern in Rotherhithe

among the living," he said; "I must

t river-side neighbourhood, Joyce Harker had discovered the description of a man "found drowned

ing. He had no need to look at the poor dead face -

d admitted him to see the body; "he had money about

hink it was

ed, sir. And I think I

now th

if I can't bring it home to them - and I don't suppos

story; but that story threw very little light

s death. A medical examination demonstrated that he had been murdered by a blow on the back of the head, infl

ce Harker was obliged to be content. His suspicions he dared not mention in open court. They were too vague and shadowy. But he called upon a celebrated Bow Stre

progress, Joyce opened the letter addre

d something handsome to our joint fortunes. I long to see your honest face, and grasp your hand again; but the chance of a big prize lures me out yonder. We are both young, and have all the world before us, so we can afford to wait a year or two. Bank the money; Joyce will tell

ecording everything that had happened within his knowledge, from the moment of the 'Pizarro' reaching Gravesend to the discovery of Valenti

back to this end of London, before the fifth, he came lured by that girl's beauty. It is to the girl we must look for a key to the secret of his death. I do not expect to extort anything from the fears of the men. They are both hardened villains

ight succeeding that inquiry, Joyce went to the 'Jolly Tar', in the hope of seeing Jenny Milsom. But he was doomed to disapp

tty girl who used to sing h

father and she had a row, and the girl ran away. She can get her living anywhere with that voice

. There's a good deal of that sort of honesty about this neighbo

Is there anything

ere. There was an inquest held this mor

shrugged hi

all day, and I haven't

s fate, to which Dennis Wayman liste

ome of the girl?" Harker asked,

ad. She's cut and ru

ather gone

an. She has chosen to take herself off, a

dfather, the

gone w

to be said about t

aiting for directions about my poor captain's ship from his brother Captain George, and as your house suits me as well a

the landlord, promp

ly as he walked away from

watch as I may. Such a murder as that leaves no trace behind it. If I had been able to get hold of the girl, I might have frig

the watch; always ready to seize upon the smallest clue to the mys

een partly in notes and gold, partly in bills of exchange. It was easy enough to dispose of such bills in the City. There

d evil mystery. Joyce watched and waited with dog-like fidelity, rea

ype="