d St.
Sepulchre's church, and hurrying down Snow Hill, darted into the first
turning on the left. Traversing Angel Court, and Green Arbour
Court,--celebrated as one of Goldsmith's retreats,--he speedily reached
Seacoal Lane, and pursuing the same course, which he and Thames had
formerly taken, arrived at the yard at the back of Jonathan's
habitation.

A door, it may be remembered, opened from Wild's dwelling into this
yard. Before he forced an entrance, Jack tried it, and, to his great
surprise and delight, found it unfastened. Entering the house, he found
himself in a narrow passage leading to the back stairs. He had not taken
many steps when he perceived Quilt Arnold in the upper gallery, with a
lamp in his hand. Hearing a noise below, Quilt called out, supposing it
occasioned by the Jew. Jack hastily retreated, and taking the first
means of concealment that occurred to him, descended the cellar steps.

Quilt, meanwhile, came down, examined the door, and finding it unfastened,
locked it with a bitter imprecation on his brother-janizary's carelessness.
This done, he followed the course which Jack had just taken. As he
crossed the cellar, he passed so near to Jack who had concealed himself
behind a piece of furniture that he almost touched him. It was Jack's
intention to have knocked him down with the iron bar; but he was so
struck with the janizary's looks, that he determined to spare him till
he had ascertained his purpose. With this view, he suffered him to pass
on.

Quilt's manner, indeed, was that of a man endeavouring to muster up
sufficient resolution for the commission of some desperate crime. He
halted,--looked fearfully around,--stopped again, and exclaimed aloud,
"I don't like the job; and yet it must be done, or Mr. Wild will hang
me." With this, he appeared to pluck up his courage, and stepped forward
more boldly.

"Some dreadful deed is about to be committed, which I may perhaps
prevent," muttered Jack to himself. "Heaven grant I may not be too
late!"

Followed by Jack Sheppard, who kept sufficiently near him to watch his
proceedings, and yet not expose himself, Quilt unlocked one or two doors
which he left open, and after winding his way along a gloomy passage,
arrived at the door of a vault. Here he set down the lamp, and took out
a key, and as he did so the expression of his countenance was so
atrocious, that Jack felt assured he was not wrong in his suspicions.

By this time, the door was unloc