The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 241: what you’re looking at

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230 enough to convince him that she was a crone bowed with age. He watched her movements, not choosing as yet to give any sign of life which might attract her | ready said, attention, for fear lest she should be connected with the ruffians who had perpetrated the outrage, and that they mighé still be within the summoning range of her voice. Of the extent of this outrage he was as yot ignorant—although he dreaded worst, because he beheld not his valet nor the pos- tilions, and because he recollected the violence of the blows and the report of the fire-arms whieh he had heard. Raising himself very, very gently upon his elbow, be endeavoured to penetrate more scrutinisingly through the gloom which prevailed around save and except where the lantern glim- mered like a will-o’-the-wisp. The crone was stoop- |i ing down: something dark lay underneath the lantern—Octavian shuddered with the horrible sus- picion which swept through his brain — but the next instant he shuddered more deeply and coldly still, as the rays of that lantern fell upon the white face of a human being——-and he recognised his own valet ! In a moment he was upon his feet: he sprang towards the old woman, who shrieked out in affright ; and clutching her violently by the arm, he ex- claimed in tiie French tongue, “ Wretch! ere you plundering the dead whom your sccomplices have murdered ?” “ No, sir—no! heaven forbid!” responded the crone, with so sudden a regaining of her self- yocent of the charge he had levelled against her. “I am here to render assistance, if possible—but ib is 00 lato for the othere—you only eppear to be “Too late {” exclaimed Meredith, horrified at the idea which these words conveyed. “God for- bid! Let us eee.” He snatebed the lantern from the woman’s likowise battered in. | Such was the harrowing spectaclé which in tree. Then, no doubt, the vil- Isins had set upon the unfortunate postilion, and had despatched him on the apot; for his skull was the J THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. carry in his waisteoat-pocket. He now the person of his valet: but as he had only too “How came you here?” he asked, watching her countenance as he held the lantern up for the purpose. “TI live in a cottage bard by,” she responded ; “and hearing a noise in the roed, I got up, P most poverty. Her tale ssemed probable enough ; anc, Meredith was inclined to believe it. “This is a dreadful crime which has been per- potrated,” he eaid; “and I am bewildered how to act. Are here no habitations nearer than the : | Villages at the entrance and at the extremity of the forest P” “Only a few such poor cottages as the hut that I live in,” was the woman's answer. “ Bat per- hape some of the mounted police may come this way presently——” “ Does the forest bear a bad repute ?” inquired “People have been sometanes robbed here,” exed the woman ; “ but they have generally solitary travellers, either en horse or foot; I never before knew of such a deaperate per- as this. I have lived for years and years the this forest—with my poor deceased @ long time—ané since his death by : but I never till now knew of blood being I suppose it is some gang that has gathered in the forest: but the police will soon hunt them wa after such a crime as this.” Meredith suffered the old woman to go on talk- pede | . g 31 BE 5 (COLL C OOO SS} (COLL