The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

50 THE MYSTERIES OF THR COURT. | Leen nce ssc css cz. ccc cz ccc ccc caaé aati. ccc ccc Jacacaaacmaaaaaaaacaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaammaaa aaa This intimation was followed by the click of one | or if indeed that suddenly executed movement on pistol—then by that of the other: yet no answer was returned. ‘What will the Burker do?” thought Bab to herself: and quick as lightning she revolved in her mind how she could possibly second any endeavour trat he might perchance make for the frustration of the officers’ designs. At that self-same 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 scullery. The door at the head of the staircase, having doubtless been disturbed by the animal, closed with violence; and the tall detective demanded, “ What the deuce is that, Tom P” “Only tbat cursed animel again,” was the ge- sponee: for all was now suddenly still once more. Mra. Smedley, having her nerves by this time completely strung for any abrupt or startling occurrence, quickly regained her own self-possession; and pushing the door at the bottom of the staircase, she said, “At all events we wont have the brute come rushing down here ‘“ The door closed and latched iteelf by the impulse thus given to it; and the officer who answered to the abbreviated Christian name of Tom, exclaimed sternly, “You keep quiet, ma'am! Stand away from that door—and none of your nonsense !”’ * She can’t eseape, Tom,” observed his superior : “the passage up-stairs is guarded.” All that fullowed was now the work of a few in- stants. Scarcely had the tall detective given utterances to those last words which we have re- corded, when there wes 6 rush beneath--a blow was dealt—and he disappeared as if engulfed in the dark depth from the view of his companion who was holding the light. Quick eg thought, Bab Smedley threw If with the fury of a tiger-cat upon the subordinate Tom, gud precipitated him headlong down the steps. The sounds of several severely dealt blows eoming up from the reached her cars; but she could ese nothing-—the light had fallen into the pit—ehe was envoloped in total darkuess. Wot for an instant did she lose her presence of mind: she knew where on a shelf there were the means of obtaining another light: a lucifer was strusk-—vend at the very moment that she applied it to another candle, Barney the Burker emerged from below. “ Are they done for P”” was Mrs. Smedley’s rapidly put question. “ Let’s see,” ssid the Burker: and snatching the candle from ber hand, he partially descended the ateps-—whenee almost instantaneously returning, he added, “ They’re stunned, if not killed. now what's to be done next ?” Bab, in a hasty whisper, gave the wretch to understand that there was an officer in the passage, and that there were others outside, watching the back premises. “ Take the light—go up quick,” said the Burker, “tell the officer he’s wanted below—whimper a bit—end say as how your poor husband is took.” The woman instantaneously proceeded to obey Barney's directions; and with the light in her hand, she ascended the stairs. We should observe that from the circumstance of the doors at top and bottom being closed, the officer in the passage had heard little or nothing of what was going on below: ‘dear man—and they want you down below. the part of Mrs. Smedley, by which Tom was thrown into the pit, had met his ears, it might naturally have been taken for the quick transient scuffie of an arrest being effected. Leaving the doors open—for she comprehended full well what the Burker’s intention was—the infamous woman assumed a look of deep distress; and accosting the Officer who had been appointed to keep guard upon the front door, she said in a whimpering tone, and breaking her words with an apparently convulsing gob, “It’s all over! They have taken my poor This is the way; there's a light where they are. Oh, dear !—oh, dear [”” The woman’s part was so well played—and the whole proceeding seemed so natural—that the offi- eer hesitated not for an instant to descend the steps to which ghe led him,—she herself remaining on the top to light him as he went down. The in- stant he reached the bottom he was felled by a blow from the Burkee’solub/’ Bab Smedley rushed down the stairg ~-and her rufiian accomplice, at once percsiving that the unfortunate officiel wes stunned, bim into the eellar, the huge door of which he closed end bolted, Another quick ezaminetion af the subterranean showed the miscreant that the two detectives still lay motionless at the bottom of the steps; and thus fara complete triumph was But how to escape? Mrs. Smedley and the Burkeg had all theig wite about them. Phoy partook of « basty glass i right. We must get out of ndon as quigk as we ean, and trust to chances whethas as how we ever mect again. But first of all, have you got any blunt P” Bab Smedley thrust three or four sovereigns into the Burker’s hand; and she then issued forth from the front door of the house. Barney kept it about an inch ajar to listen, with his clab in readiness to receive any other police-officials who might possibly rash in. But all was quiet; and after allowing about a minute’s pause, he quitied the habitetion, —closing the door behind him, Without the slightest molestation he continued his way along the street—and felt himself to be in comparative safoty. 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 beck,—little dreaming of the utter disoomfiture of their pom- rades within. The whole affair on the part of the detectives bad been entered upon so quietly, that the neighbours in the street continued utterly un- euspicious of what was going on; and thus no hue and cry was raised when the Burker stole forth. The officers, as the reader has scen, had come hither merely for the arrest of Jack Smedley: but if they could have foreseen that instead of the gold a ea eS eee ENNieEeeeeneeree = COMME OOO SS} (CO