The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

Jonathan, in a compassionating tone—“ vagabond too for that matter; for the merely mean a wanderer without a settled home: but a mendicant she is not. She has plenty of are ara “Plenty of money, ch?” said the Burker. “ Where the deuce could she get it from ?” “hat she did not tell me,” anewered Jona- than: “ but she threw me a—a—sixpence—tellin me to drink her health, and so you and I will have a drop of beer presently, when we have finished our morning's work.” . “Tt must have been a sixpence in halfpence though,” thought the Burker to himeelf; “for I saw you gtoop several times, olf feller, to pick the coins up 3 and I’ll be bound it was a handful of silver—or else how should you know sbe had plenty of money ?”—but Barnes only thus mused inwardly, and dide not give audible expression to his thoughts; for he was particularly vo pot to excite in any way the suspicions of the sexton. “Yes,” oontinged Jonathan, perfectly unoon- scious of what was passing in the mind of bis assistant, “she has got a pocket well-filled with . goin; and now I betbink me, she said I was to mma ~—ee Se eee = a a drink the health of Crasy Jane.” “What a rum name to call herself by !” ob- served Barney: but as he averted his countenance for an instant, ite expression was ghastly—for the mention of that name had dissipated whatsoever little doubt there was in his mind, and’ had con- firmed all his worst fears. “And so she’s coming back again—is she P” he inquired. “ She says so—and I have no doubt she will,” responded the sexton. “She bas got something into her head about the poor lady that lies buried there ; and I know enough of these crasy people to be aware that when once they do get hold of a particular crotchet, they always stick to it. She is | as certain to come back as that you and I are ae Seiee all? ade: po, ee es, Geer eee oe =e oe =—_ = here,” © ‘Poor creature P”’ said the Burkef, affecting tone of sympathy, although at the same instant he resolved upon the destruction of either the sexton or crasy Jane—and perhaps of both. “Though you ere such « strange-looki fallow,” said old Oarnabie, “ you have got a heart—that is quite clear. One must not always go by the looks.” “TI should rayther think not!” ejeculated the Burker, as he walked on by the sexton’s side. The two man proceeded to the accomplishment of the work they had in hand: butall the while the Burker was employed in digging a for ar recently deceased villager, he was deli wi hideous purpose tinued till mid-day~—st turned to his cottage ; while the Burker proceeded to the publie-house to fetch sam be purchased with the sixpence which J a high tombstone; for the day liry, and the sunbeams poured down unclonded torrid stren Fling- ing off his hat, the Burker covered his head with self on comfurtabla as poatble, while enjoying hi as as w i Pipe aud giving way to his refleetions. | ¢ will be to observe that sinee the Burker bad been in Jonathan Carnabie’s service, he had occupied a little outhouse—or we might rather say a shed, attached to the sexton’s cottage, and in which a truckle-bedstead had been placed for his accommodation. Mr. Barnes was soon in « condition to judge by Jonathan’s habits that he was economical and saving: and he more than suspected that the old men bad a little hoard in * his cottage. Already had the idea flitted across his brain® that if be could acquire a positive cer- tainty on the point, he would help himself to the treasure—for treasure it would prove to him, no matter how small the amount,—and he might then betake himself to another district, or else get out of the country altogether. . Now therefore that the Burker’s alarm was excited in reepect to the ap- pearance of Crasy Jane in the neighbourhood of the villege of Woodbridge, he waa resolved to achieve that crime of which he had hitherto but vaguely and dimly thought. But if he could also possess himeelf of Crasy Jane's money, it would © be un addition to the sture he anticipated to derive from the other quarter; and the Burker was not a man to stick at acouple of crimes —no, nor adosen either—if he could only thereby improve his pre- sent depressed condition. While thus reflecting, and utterly unsuspicious of the possibility of being overheard, Barney be- gap to give audible expression to his thoughts. “Yea,” he said, while leisurely smoking his pipe, “ Woodbridge is getting a precious sight too hot to hold such a popula gen’leman as myself; and I must take my precit.., carcase off to another part of the world. That i{d scoundrel Carnabie is warm—I know he is; and 2'l] ferret out his hoard before I am a night older. If so be he wakes up— well then, there's the mattock, or the spade, or the crow-bar as will deuced soon cook his goose for him. And then that acoureed she-devil Orasy Jane, which sp’iled all the bash at Liverpool—I shall like to give her a topper on the head—gad hy T'l do it too a" + comforting : ving @ome to this mos | the Burher’ re-fllled his pipe; ‘and away over grass. persan Crasy Jane. After a few hours’ interval since discouree with Oarnabie, eo many years. But while wandering amidst the eS rere ere rag a geen LOAO© SS (CO)