The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 396: what you’re looking at

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had con¢éealed his hoarded rupees. These were contained in two bags, which seemed to be of tolorably equal weight and dimansions: the Gos- soon accordingly took one—the Burker the other. Thoy then issued from the chamber of death by means of that window through which they had first become acquainted with the fuet that the Ryot posseessed the coin that proved the tempta- tion to commit this heinous crime. But it seemed asf the Gossoon were not con- tented with what he had done zor at all events he thought that another crime must be perpetrated to conceal the firat one. There wag an immense quantity of rice-straw in the immediate vicinity of the gwelling ; and by the means of ignition which the Gos8oon alwa§s carried about with him, he set fire to the stack. The flame blazed up,— almost immediately seiming upon.the howe itself, which was builé of combustible materials; and away sped the incpndiary, closcly fullowed by the Burker. the crime was a bold one altogether, though he had no remorse on its accuunt; but he fantied tgat if tho other °inmates of the house should escape from tho conflagration, the murdé& and the rob- bery might possibly be discovered; and thé@y could scarcoly fail to know that the Ryot had awarded his hospitality to two gnen who would be enissing. However, the triple turpitude of murder, robbery, and arson was consfimmated: 1t was too late to recall either of the foul doeds; and the Burker thought witkin himself that the Gossoon mast have had excellent roasons for superadding the last crime to the two former. On they went together, and every now and then as they luoked back, they beheld the tremendous conflagration; bu6é the Burker could distinguish no persons moving about in the vicinage ot the flamos. At length a grove hid tho burning scene from the view of the criminals; and they reached a cate, where they passed the remainder of the night. ©At dawn they resumod their journey ; and tho Goasoon was now careful W& avoid towns or large villages. They procured refreshments at iso- lated cottages, etther through Sharity or by paying ,| ?for their food; but they were equally careful not to display tho largo sums of money whieb they pos- sessed, 9 Ten days passed after the terrible crimes which we have just recorded; and many a long nile had the criminals journeyed togother, thus continuously Shercasing the interval between themselves and the sceno of their turpitude. At length the Gossoon evidently thought that they were completely safe; and they entered a small town which they now reached. Here they purchased a quantity of ex- cellent provisions; and some article which they thus bought, was wrapped up by the shopkeeper in @ piece of a newspaper. Oh reaching the khan, whero they purposed to pass the night, the Burker happening to look at the fragment of newspaper, discovered that it was printed in the English lan- guage. It was one of the small local journals which are issued in that tongue inyindia. While eating his supper, tho Burker looked over its con- tents,—until his attention was rivoted to a para- graph, headed “ Terrible fire and loss of life.” He read *the paragraph ; and he found that it related to the very deed of blackest turpis which himself and the Gossoon had porpetrated. Tho latter could not help thinking thats It appeared (according to the journal) that every soul in the houses had perished in the flames, whieh had spread with such rapidity that éhere was no possibility of escape, A wandering Gowsoon and some European of a very low description were ra- ported to have perished at the same time,—the partioulara of the conflagration having been far. nished by two labourjng mea who had partaken of supper at the house, but had afterwards quitted it %o retire to the cottage which they inhabited at a little distance. The Burkgr now comprehended why the Gossaon had set fire to the premises, With a devilish shrewdness he had foreseen this catastrophe: or et all events he had thought it was worth while to perpetrate this last crime with tho chanco that it would conceal the previous ones. The Englishman pointed to the newspaper; and partly by signs, partly by aid of the few words of Hindostanoe he hed picked up, he made the der- vish comprehend the nature of its contents. A diabolical satisfection waa expressed on the Hin- doo’s countenance; and the Burker could not help regarding the Gossoon as a villain endowed with a boldness and a shrewdness well calculated to win any other villain’s admiration. The meal of which they partook was 8 copious one ; and they’ washed it down with proportignate quantities of aledholio fluid. It happened that they were alone together in the khan; and they were likewise alone when they lay down to rest. The Burker was more than half intoxicated with the |iquor he had imbibed ; and he slept most soundly. The sun had risen some time when he awoke ; and he immediately missed the Gossoon. An ides of treachery flashed through his brain ; he thrust his hands beneath hie garments ; and a ter- riblo imprecation burst from hie lips as he disoo- vered that hig bag of money was gone. He looked qgbout him in the last wild faint hope that i¢ might have slipped out from his buttoned-up coat while he was slumbering: but no—it had vanished ! Nothing could eexcegd the rago of the Burker. It was only the night before that’hB -had resolved pon playing the Gossuon precisely the same trick ¢ but he was f¥ilod—he was baffled—he was fore- stalled. Oh! if he couid only fall in with the squinting villain, What a terrible vengeanco would he wrogk upon him! From the very firet mo- THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. ment he met that Gossooa at the cave .in the "jungle, be had hated him: he had continuedee hate @im throughout the three wecks of their wandering companionship ; and now this hatred expanded into a craving for the direst vengeante. CHAPTER CLX. ® TEE RUINED TEMPLE. Onow more did the Burker find himself a money. less outcast in a strange land. He hed not even a morsel of food to put between his lips; for the Gossoon had carried off the wallet which cone tained the remnant ‘of the provender purchased on the preceding evening. Hungry and miserable— plmost ae desponding and as’ despairing as he bad ever been even when in the depths of the bideors junglo —tho Englishman went forth from the ey Te NY NN ANIELOO (C©) SS (CO)