The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

. a 140 THE MYSTERIES OF THF. COURT. pe must leave to his discretion and fancy. In a word, “T have always been more or less uneasy since it then, where am I to be on Monday night to receive | came into my ee he: SSSS, a's aang, the fair one !” “In the lane leading up to the Manor,” returned Bradshaw. “ You will come in a hackney-ooach or private carriage——” “A hackney-coach,” was the answer: “and I will be in the lane punctually at eight o'clock.” The bargain of infamy was thus concluded; and Mra, Gale took leave of her confederate in the loath- some compact. But ere she issued from the house, che stepped into the Gar-parlour; and putting a couple of gui- neas into the landlady’s hand, she said, “ You need not tell Mr. Bradshaw that I made any inquiries concerning him just now. I shall be this way again shortly—and if I find that you have held your tongue in that respect, I will make you an additional present.” The landlady gave the required promise with cheerful alacrity, not only for herself but likewise for her husband: and Mra Gale, returning to the hackney-coach, rode back to London, infinitely re- joiced at the comparative facility with which she bad thus far accomplished her purpose. CHAPTER XLIL THE BURGLABY. Ir was half-past ten on Sanday morning ; and Mrs. Owen issued forth from her mansion at Richmond, ostensibly to proceed to church as usual. This was tho first Sunday for a long, long time that she went out alone, her daughters having hitherto been her companions. The present occasion was also destined to be characterised by another ex. ception to the previous rule: for instead of going to charch at all, she struck into a bye-lane along ooeeded some distance. At length a man leaning against a stile that d with the meadows; and she hast- st him. dr. Sampson, I presume ?” said Mra. ingly. y Dame, ma’am,” responded the Bow “I need not ask whether I have f speaking to Mrs. Owen?” » in parsuance of a letter which I you yesterday,” continued the lady. munication you speak of the absolute veing me alone—you nanved this place vintmeat—and I have come acoord- © told you in the letter, ma’am,” ob- on, “that my object was to give you ping and to aid you in defeating a is contemplated.” you likewise bade me place the seal a my lips,” said Mrs. Owe; “and rd nor sign indicate that I suspected \e presence of my domestics. I have your suggestions to the very letter.” ay, don’t be alarmed at what I am go- pu,” resumed Larry; “because we frustrate the intended mischief, but econcoctors. In plain terms, your » broken into to-night——” late!” cried Mrs. O70, with a start. tone, but speaking aloud. “Yea, ma'am—the object of the villains is the plate of which you speak,” said Larry. “I believe it has the royal arms upon it——” “ On every article,” exclaimed Mrs. Owen: “and I am respoosible for its safety! Indeed, I would not for worlds lose it: the strangest suspicions mizht attach to myself——” “You shall not lose it, ma'am,” interrupted the Bow Street officer, in a tone that was calm bat fall of confidence: “that is to say, if you will follow my instroctions and entrust the affair to my manage- ment.” * Of coarse I shall do eo, with cheerfulness and gtatitade, Mr. Sampson,” replied the lady. “Bat tell me all about this mysterious business.” “There is a desperate villain under your roof, ma'am,” said the officer: “and that villain is none other than your footman.” “ My footman!” exclaimed Mra. Owen, in aston- ishment. “ Why, I had the best possible character with him from Lady Morthean——” “Tt does not signify, ma'am,” ssid Larry: “he is a villain—and in league with villains. O€ this I am quite certain: bat I need not trouble you with the details how I came to discover all these things. Persons in my sphere have strange ways of gotting at strange knowledge. Let it be sufficient for you to learn that this night, at twelve o’olock, a bar- glary will be attempted in your house—a duplicate key has already been obtained for the asfe con- taining the plate—and, in fact, everything is eet. “But what do you propose to do, Mr. son?” demanded Mrs. Owen, terribly frightened. “Had I not better send away all the plate as once ?” “No sach thing, ma’am!” exclaimed Larry. “The villains must be caught in the act and sur- rendered up to justice. That is the only way to deal with them. You must really consent to be guided altogether by me——” “1 will, I will,” said Mrs. Owen, trembling ner- vously. “The fact is, Mr. Sampson, the plate be- longs to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, who is now on the Continent, as of course you well know. When sho was going abroad, she was mach pressed for money, and borrowed two thousand guineas of my friend, Lady Glenroy, with whom she left the plate as security. That is the real truth of the affair. But as Lady Glearoy was suddenly called to Scotland, to attend upon her husband who was taken ill at the family seat in the Highlands, she begged me to become the guar- diaa of the plate, inasmuch as she could not pos- sibly send it to her banker's without betraying the delicate nature of the transaction that originally consigned it to her hands, I have explained these circumstances to you, Mr. Sampson, to prove how sacred is the trust, and how seriously 1 should be compromised by the loss of such valuable pro- perty.” “The communication yuu have volunteered, ma’am,” observed the officer, “shall be regarded as strictly confidential by me: and you need labour under no apprebension of the failure of the mea- sures which I propose to adopt to save the plate from the villains who have their eye on it.” comliclbooks.com