The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 372: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. “ Beatties, what could poesbly have happened to ‘him 7” exclaimed the Marchioness of Bellenden. he had been foully dealt with, traces of the crime would have remained; and if he had committed Giicide in a moment of intolerable anguigh or blank despair, his corpee would have been discovered. De- pend upon it, good people, the poor young gentle- man is wandering like a troubled spirit about the country ——” “ And what inclines us to that belief, my lady, is that he teok away with him all his money and all his private papers on the morning when he left us,” said Farmer Brooks. “ His bed had been slept in during the previous night—and the inference is that he had risen early——that is to say, early fer the time of year ; for it was in the winter season—just at the end ef February——” “ It was the 26th, father,” observed young Brooks. “ You are particalar as to the date, my boy,” said fis parent. 98 ‘sees “TI remember it so well, father,” returned the iad, “If | “ because it was on the same Monday ‘morning that the great crowning-stone fell upon the buttress of the new bridge.” “ Ab! what—an accident >’ inquired the Marehio- ness. “ No, my lady—that is to say, not an accident by which anybody was hurt,” responded young Brooks. “ But when I and my mates went down to begin work soon after day-break———" “My son, your ladyship should know, is a stone- mason,” interrupted the elder Brooks, by way of ex- planation ; “ and he has been engaged from the first upor the new bridge which your ladyship ordered to be built across the river. When one of the buttresses was completed about three months ago, it was deter- mined that your ladyship’s steward should be invited by all the tenants in this district to superintend the EE 361 deposit of an earthen jar fall of coins in the great hollow of the buttress. The crowning-stone was sar Coli (C OO i.