The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 320: what you’re looking at

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posing form of the inanimate maiden: bat she did not fail to appreciate all the touching softness and all the tender interest that enveloped the fair stranger as with a halo; so that when she had re- moved the bonnet and beheld all that silken rich- ness of the flaxen hair, setting off a countenance of virginal innocence-—-shoulders beautifully rounded and gently sloping — and a bust whose nascent charms were proportioned like a Grecian statue,—_the young woman threw upon Bencall a look of delight, as she whispered, “This is in- deed a prize that you have brought here |” “Well, you may thank the night-coach for up- setting just at the brow of Shooter's Hil),” retarned Bencull. “ What on earth do you mean?” demanded Nell Gibson, surveying him with a look of astonishment at such a singular remark. “TI mean just this,” answered the man: “that as me and the two pals reached the hill ia search of that feller Huntingdon, we heard a noise of voices calling out, horses planging, and all kind of con- fusion; while lights was dancing about on the spot that the noise came from. So we crept up to the place; and we soon found out what it was. The night-coach for Dover had upset ; and there was a rare scene, ifso be all that took place in the dark can be called a scene at all. Bat it wasn’t quite in the dark neither; for the coachman and guard had got down the lamps and was moving about to seo the extent of the mischief done. ‘ Here's this sweat young gal, says the guard, ‘which sat rexi to me justnow : she's pitched right on this bank, and ts either stunned or dead :’—and as he spoke he threw the light on her face and figure in such a manner that me and the two pals caught a fall view of her, for she was laying within a couple of yards of the spot where we was hidin the shade. We saw quite enough of her to convince us that she w28 a sweet pretty creature; and the Mushroom Faker whis- pered in my ear, ‘My eyes! if Nell Gibson only had that young gal inher hands fur a week or so.’ These words was a hint; and without any more ado J took the young gal up in my arms the moment the guard turned away to attend to a inside passenger. Finding that her heart beat, 1 carried her right clean away from the spot, no one seeing the dodge in the darkness and the confusion. The Mushroom Faker kicked against a bundie which he accord. ingly picked up and brought with him; and as it was quite close to the place where the young girl was laying, I suppose it is her's.” “ Weill, the occurrence is a fortunate one,” ob- served Nell Gibson: “for Mrs. Gale will pay hand- somely for this young creature. She’s delicate looking but beautifal as an angel, though I say i¢ who know so little about angels —and perhaps never shall know any more. But what about the Baronet?” she demanded abruptly. “Ob! he’s a Baronet, is he?” exclaimed Ben- cull. “Yes—to be sure, I recollect there is a Baronet of the name ef Huntingdon at the West End—I’ve heard of him afore: he’s a pal of the Prinoe’s. Well, I suppese he has got clean off: aod precious awkward it is, too. I must go down stairs and see what our pale say about it. Se Til leave you to take care of this young gal.” With these words the roffian quitted the cham- bers and when the door had closed behind him, Neil Gibson took some water and sprinkled it 307 upon the young damsel’s countenance. The effect was soon visible—and slowly did the fair being begin to recover: her bosom rose and fell with the long and painful undulations of returning con- sciousness ;—and opening a pair of the finest azure eyes that ever reflected the pure soul's light of innocence, she gazed up with a look of vacant. inquiry into the countenance that was bending. over her. Then, as her recollection gradually re- vived, and all the circumstances of the recent ac- cident were recalled ts her mind, she glanced around with an expression rather of gratitude than astonishment: for it naturally ocourred to her that she was experiencing the hospitality of some humble dwelling near the scene of the coach- accident, “Are you injured?—do you feel hurt?” in- quired Nell Gibson, in a tone’ so kind and re- assuring that it precluded the springing up of any immediate alarm or suspicion in the maiden’s mind. - “No—I do not feel that I have sustained any serious injury, beyond a severe shock,” answered the beauteous stranger, in a‘voice of the most touching melody: and as the colour came back with the delicate tinge of the rose-leaf to hercheeks, bat with the deepest hue of that blushing flower to her exquisitely chiselled lips,—and as these lips revealed teeth white as oriental pearls, and exhaled the balmiest breath,—-Nell Gibson could not help ae ee THE MYSTERBIES OF THE COURT. thinking that she had never seen a lovelier orea- . ture than this fair girl. “You are weleome where you are, young lady,” said Neil: “and if you can put ap with such poor accommodation as lam able to afford, I shall be truly happy.” “My best thanks are due for your kindness,” answered the damsel: and it was with a sort of ill-subdued shudder that she cast her eyes around that wretched, cheerless, poverty-stricken cham- bor. “But I must purane my jouraey this night —I must return to the coach, whioh will no doubs continte its way-——” “The coach is eo much injured,” interrupted Nell, “that it will not be able te go on till the morning: and therefore you mast make op your mind to stay here. Is that your bundle, Mias ?” “ Yea—I thank you,” was the answer, as the fair stranger glanced towards the object thus indicated. * Bat indeed—oh! indeed,” she cried, in accents that bespoke a painful and increasing agitation, “I must even pursue my way on foot—for I have pro- mised to be at Dover by a certain hour to-mor- row :’—and as she thus spoke, she endeavoured to rise from the flock bed: but sinking baok again with the weakness and exhaustion consequent upon her fall from the coach-top, she clasped her hands in a despairing manner—murmuring, “O God! what will Ae think 2” Then a faintness came over her—and she sank down again upon the wretched couch, deprived o consciousness. | ® 8 a & ® e & ® @ ® ® Meantime, in the apartment down staira, Bob the Darrynacker and the Mushroom Faker had ex- plained to the Buttoner the accident relative to the night-coach, and the manner in which the fair dam- sel had fallen into their hands. “ Well, I’ve no doubt bat whatmy young woman aw z @ COUMIC NOG) SS COM |