The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 132: what you’re looking at

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THE MYSTERIES OF THE COUR 126 walked otill farther into the country. Again he at a briek trot. He had in his hand a good stout slaked his thirst at a rivulet: but his hunger was | cudgel with which he had provided himself; and he now ravenous. He beheld a cottage at a distance: and thither he bent his steps. The door stood open: a labourer and his wife, with three or four children, were sented at a table, ‘partaking of their frugal re- past. Chifia the threshold, and asked for a pleca of bread, saying that he was in great distress. He had on a decent suit of clothes, sup- plied by the landlord of the boosing-ken; and the first thought ef the man and his wife was that he was some broken-dows tradesman. They were therefore about to invite him to enter and partake of their meal: bat when they looked a seepnd time at his villanous hang-dog countenance, they felt convineed that be wae an evil charactec; and the peasant, getting up from table, closed the door abruptly. COhiffila gave vent to a savage imprece- tion, and dragged himeelf away. Aé a distance from that cottage he sat down again to reflect upon his position and the course he should pursue. respect to the double murder in Agar Town, he had no doubt; and that there would be an active search for him, he wae equally confident. So far as his apparel went, he was to a certain degree dieguised by the plain but respectable euit he had on: bat how eould he prevent his countenance from betray- ing him? This was the question. Even if he had his whiskers shaved off and his hair eropped close, his features would still reasain too remarkable not to identify him. Therefore, to re-enter London was under any circumstances impossible. As for writing to the landiord of the boosing-ken in Spital- fields, to ack that he would remit hie money to any stated place,—-this would be absurd: for that indi- vidual, in the supposition thet Chiffin was by no means likely to return to his house—or that if he did, he would be completely in hie power-~-was sure to self-appropriate whatecever was found in the pockets of the garments left bebind. Then what washetodo? A thought struck him. What if he were te travel into Lanculnshire and pay a visit to Saxondale Castle? If. her ladyship were still there, well and good—she would supply him with funds: bat if not, he could hide himeeif in the western wing of the buildiag—the larder of the castle, stealthily visited by night, would eupply him with food—and he might thus lead a comfortable life for some time, until he found the means and opportu- mity for getting ont of England. Tee Cannibdal’s resolve was ly taken; and he compesed himenif te slop agate anter 2 hedge, so that he should be sufficiently refreshed to journey throughout the ensuing night. It was sumest when he resumed his walk: but he felt faint foe want of food. Food he must have, by some smeans or another. his steps in a northern direction, he entered on the high road with a de- termination of stopping the first solitary traveller be might chanee to encounter, provided the appear. ance of the individual should promise a booty worth the sick. He walked elowly along—for he was weak and weil nigh exhausted, notwithstanding bis stum- bers of the day: hie hunger was no longer ravenous : but it was a beantifal clear ni in the month cf September. Presently he heard the sounds of a horee’s hoofs approaching from behind - bee 2 ew ws ww : ona oo ™ <@ibeiwe - ewe es Fer eo That suspicion would fall upon bimeelf in | pounds grasped it in readiness to make an attack. The horseman soon overtook him; and the glance which Chiffia threw over his shoulder at the individual, decided him in a moment. Desperation and ex- citement nerved him with strength: as for courage, he naturally possessed it. The traveller had the appearance of a substantial farmer, and was a short, stout, etrong-built man, somewhere about forty years of age. Chiffin sprang forward, his club in one hand, the other stretohed cut to seise the bridle of the horse: bat the animal, frightened at the sud- denness of the movement, swerved aside—and the next instant its rider rolled in the dust. I¢ is more than probable that he would have been stunned by the fall: bat the Oannibal, to make sure, dealt him a blow on the head which effectually deprived him of his senses, though not of life. Chiflin lost not an instand in turning out the contents of his pockets, which he found to consist of between wo and three and for a fow moments he deliberated whether he should e the horse likewise: bat he feared that is might lead to his detection—and he accordingly hastened away from the scene of his villanous exploit. Speeding across the fields, be ran till he was quite and was compelled to rost for a time. Then he continued his journey again—and sccm reached a village, where he procured refreshments. Here bowever he made but a brief halt: for in the tap-room of the public-house where he partook of hie meal, the conversation turned upon the dreadful rourder which had been discovered that morning in a pert of London called Agar Town. The names of Chiffin and Tony Wilkins were freely mentioned, and in rather an unpleasant way too for the listener. It even etruck him that he was surveyed in a some- what scrutinising manner by those present: and thus he was by no means sorry when, on quitting the public-house, he breathed the open air again. CHAPTER CXIV. MES. BROUGHTON AND THE COUNTESS. Retunw we once more to the palatial mansion of the Earl of Castlemaine at Kensington. I¢ wae the fourth day after the scone when the Countess fainted in her attempt to write a letter to her husband ; and during this interval she had remained unconecious of all that was around her. Whan she re- covered her intellectual faculties, she began to quev- tion Mrs. Broughton as to how long this relepee had lasted—whether the Earl had visited her as was his wont—and whether anything of importance had taken place? In reply to theese queries she was in- formed that she had been three whole days in a dafigerous condition again—that the Earl himself, pleading indisposition, had kept hisown chamber— but that he had re; y sent to make inquiries relative to her ladyship’s health. Mrs. Broughton added that nothing of importance had ocourred, — thereby meaning that there had been no fresh in- trusions on the part of the nocturnal visitor to the suite of chambers. <P a owes © werner Gain ee ee owe (COL (C DOO CS (COL