The Mysteries of the Court of London Vol. 7 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

Thies intimation was followed by the oljck of one pistol—then by that of the other: yet no answer was returned, “What will the Burker do?” thoughé Bab to herself: and quick as lightning she revolved in her mind how she could possibly seco any endeavour that he might perchance make for the frustration of the officers’ designs. @ At that self-eame instant there was another wild rush of the frenzied black cat. This time it was in the passage on the ground floor; but the sounds reached the ears of those in the scoullery. The door at the head of the staircase, having doubtless been disturbed by the animal, closed with violence; and tho tall detective domanded, “ What the deuce js that, Tom ?” | “Only that cursed anime! again,” was the re- sponse: for all was now suddenly still once more. Mrs. Smedley, having her nerves by this time completely strang for any abrupt or startling occurrence, quiokiy her own self-possession; and the door at the bottom of the stalreace, she said, “At ell events we wont have the brute down bere ” © itecl? by the impulse answered to emerged “ Are they done for P* was Mrs. Smediey's rapidly put question. “ Lot’ssee,” said the Burker: and snatching the seadie from‘her baad, be partially descended the ateps-whence almost instantaneously resarning, | be added, “They're stunned, if not killed. And now what's to be done next P” Bab, ia a batty whisper, gave the wretch to understand that there was an officer in the passage, and that there were others outside, watching the Take the igh * * Take the light—-goup quick,” said the Burker, va tol] the officer he’s wanted below-—-whimper a neously proéeeded to obey e directions; and with the light in her hand, the ascended the stairs. “We ubould observe THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. or if indeed that suddenly oxecated movement on the part of Mrs. Smedley, by which Tom wag thrown into the pit, had met his ears, it might naturally have been taken for the quick transient scuffle of an arrest being effected. Leaving the doors open—for she comprehended full well what Burker’s intention was—the infamous woman gumod a look, of deep distress; an& acoosting the officer who had been appointed to keép guard upon the front door, she said in a whimpering tone, and breaking her words with an apparently convulsing sob, “It’s all over! They have taken my poor dear man—and they want you down below. This is tho way; there’s a light where they are. Oh, dear!—oh, dear i” The women’s part was 60 well played—and the whole preceeding seemed so natural—that the offi- cer hesitated not for 4n instant to descend the steps to which she ded him,—she herself remaining on the top to light him as he went down. The in- btant he reached the bottom he was felled by a blow from the Barker’solub: Bab Smedley rushed down the stairs —and her ruffian accomplice, at once perceiving that the unfortunate official was stunned, dragged him into the cellar, the huge door of which he closed and bolted. Another quick examination of the showed the miscreant that the lay motionless at the bottom of thas fr a complete triumph was of ahasty gines of spirits ; and the Barker the front door of the house. Barney kept it about an inch ajer to listen, with his olub in readiness to receive any other police-officials who might possibly rush ig. But all was quiet; Sud after allowing about a minute's pause, he quitted the habitation, —closing the door behind him. Without the slightest molestation he continued his way along the strest—and felt himeclf to be in comparative safety. There were in reality no more officials in the front part of the Smedleys’ house: but a couple were watching in the yard at the back,—little dreaming of the utter discomfiture of their com- on your things without an iastent’s "rades within, The whole affair on the part of the . \ detectives had been entered upon so quietly, thas the neizbbours in the street.continued utterly tn- 8 ishous of What was goifig on; end thas no hoe ery was valued when the Barker dole Torth. that-from fhe ciroumstance of the doors at tap and |The officers, as the reader bas seen, had come fhe ne the officer ia the passage bed hither merely for the arrest of Jack Smedley: but beard er nothing of what wasgoing on delow: | if they could have forcseen that instead of the golg ¢ f LOAO© (C©) SS (CO)