Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

_SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. though I don’t show it erhaps. | It ain't them as sighs and groans ant bellows most as feels most. Oh! dearno. The heaviest grief is the soonest over. ‘Those as cries most at a death is generally the ‘first to get married again. <Ain’t they now!” * I amin no humour for conversation or argu- ment,” said Jane. __ “Oh! no, of course not. Perhaps you don't think I’m good enough to speak to, because I’m a policeman’s wife.”’ ‘* Pray desist,” said Jane. “Oh! yes, certainly. I mustn’t open my mouth—oh! dear, no; it ain’t right I should; ut I’m quite as good as But there, I won’t hurt your feelings—oh! no; I’m too tender- hearted for that.’’ Poor Jane! she felt as if her heart would break. Surely she was wretched enough, without ' having her misery added to by this woman. She rose from the sofa, and tottered towards the door. | _ She intended to seek privacy in the little back parlour, but Mrs. Baintree sprang up from the fireplace and opposed her passage. _ Where are you going ?” she asked. “ What is that to you?” said Jane. ~~“ Ob! it’s a good deal.” “Ts it?” : | “ Yes ; I’ve got orders not to let you out of sight.” qs | “ Not to let me out of-sight 2” “* "That’s it,” _** What do you mean, woman ?”? | ® ‘ What I say. You can’t go anywhere with- out I go with you.” | ' “Am Ia prisoner in my own house?” asked Jane. “Well, I suppose you are. Now, look here ; ate had my orders to watch you, and I mean to 0 it.” | | 3 _ €To watch me!” Meg eS , | “Why should you watch me?” “Ob! you know.” *“ Indeed If do not.” * “Yn course not. You don’t know anything about any cheques, do you ?”’ sneered the woman. Jane started back. “ve got my orders, I can tell you ; and if _ you want to know what they are, this is them : I'm to keep a sharp eye on you, and see that you don’t attempt to get rid, of any papers or anything else as is in this house, as you are sus- pected of being as guilty as your husband was.” | Jane’s face grew gradually paler and paler, . and the little strength she possessed deserted her. She tottered baek to the sofa, and fell, rather than sat down upon it; and a feeling of such _wretchedness stole’ over her, that she wished death would come. ‘ _ The woman gazed at her with a look of triumph in her coarse features. Ignorant, she was very susceptible to the least slight ; and that she Had been snubbed by Jane Slater could not be denied. _ But then her own self had been the cause. The poor woman’s heart was lacerated with anguish, a ee ie and she could iH brook the unconth style in which she had been addressed. Mrs. Baintree, however, could make hho-allow- ance for the other’s feelings. She felt hurt at Jane’s manner, and a spirit of revenge took possession of her soul. She had been requested to keep a sharp eye on Jane by the young officer, simply because he considered it his duty to tell her to do so. But the young) virago went beyond her orders to gratify a feeling of revenge, called forth by the mores of her she had been called upon to remain with. ) Having been acquainted with the mysterious loss of the cheque, she had jumped to the con- clusion that Jane was a professional forger as well as her husband, and that she would ill- become a policeman’s wife if she did not look upon her charge asa dangerous and desperate character. | This feeling gained in strength when Jane, wearied and annoyed by her tones and words, requested her to be silent, and from that moment she was the enemy of the forger’s wife. There is an old saying, “ That if you place a beggar on horseback he'll ride to the devil,” and it may be added, “‘ That’ if those who have been drudges are placed in a position above others, they will prove cruel and insolent overseers.” it was so with Mrs. Baintree. | What was it to her, that the poor woman she had been deputed-to guard had lost her husband ? —that her heart was almost breaking with the agony of grief she suffered ? —S Nothing. ; : The woman was weak, ill, and dispirited; and therefore her chance of showing her domineering spirit was the greater. (v1 | It was but a poor triumph after all; but it oratified her mean and paltry soul Jane made no further offer to leave the room, but sat silent upon the sofa. The woman made the breakfast, but Jane par- took of none; her heart was too full to eat or drink. About mid-day several gentlemen, accom- "| panied by the inspector, came to the house. — They were the-jury, and the object of their visit was to view the body of the unfortunate forger. 1 | eS A short time after this a shell was brought, and the remains of the guilty but unfortunate man placed therein, and removed to the little back room, and Jane was informed that her ingress to her chamber was no longer prevented. Gladly did she seek it, but not till after Mrs. Baintree had spent nearly an’ hour above stairs. a SOAP EE SO 63 What her object was Jane did notveven care to inquire, although she fancied she could hear the drawers pulled open and closed more than once. ! : ~ When she went up stairs there was no evidence remaining of the fearful scene which had been enacted in that room on the night before. The pool of blood had been erased by the orders of the inspector, and everything put as smoothly as possible, out of respect to the feelings of the suffering wife, | As soon as she entered the room, Jane flung | JOO ECON MIUCGE 1dr HaAlGlOUL