The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

young man did not stop here: for he reasoned that | Such was the dreadful character whom Ralpb if the son and heir was once removed, the loss | Farofield selected as the principal agent in his own something so bloodthirety and cruel, in Chiffin’s look, that to meet him even in the crowded street and at broad noon-day would startle the most cour- ageous and self- possessed. Indeed, Ralph Fare- him imto his confidence, because he was just the un- scrupulous demon fitted for his purpose. By the time all Ralph’s arrangements were made with Chiffin the Cannibal, the emissary returned from Lancoinshira, and gave such a report that there seemed not the slightest doubt of being enabled to Chiffin accordingly set off for Lincolnshire, simulta- | neously with three of his most faithful confederates. They took different routes so as to avoid suspicion, but having previously settled upon the point where they were to meet in the neighbourhood of Saxon- dale. Chiflin’s instructions were positive and foar- fally definite. The child was to be carried off fram ite nurse—put to death by means of a poison pro- cured for the purpose—and then left in some public place or thoro where it was sure to be dis- eovered, so that its death might be a fact not merely established but also of notoriety. True to the plan which he had chalked out, Ralph Farefield now appeared in such public places in London as to secure the certainty of a host of wit- nesses being enabled to testify that he did not at this period quit the metropulis even for a single day. He the forencon at billiard-tables—visited Tat- tersall’s and the Parks in the afternoon—dined in the evening in the coffee-rooms of hotels — and one was Chiffin! He alone partook of the loath. | spent the greater portion of his nights at gaming- some meal. Within a few hours afterwards a vessel | tables. Thus ten daya passed, during which ia- wnich they had sworn previous to the casting of the | nicate with him by letter, for fear of miscarriage or Jote, the dreadful tale of murder was not divulged ; | anyother aceident which might lead to discovery; and and as all traces of the crime had been cleared away | thus during these ten days he knew nothing of what from the boat ere it reached the ship, it wae not ‘passed. At the expiration of that time he received suspected. In due course the veseel arrived in | an intimation that Ohiffin had returned te London; England ; and Chifin, finding that his father and | and he at once proceeded to the low public house, or his mother had died of grief during his absence, ‘ boosing-ken, where he was to meot that dreadful man. was thrown loose upon the world. He bocame the On arriving at the place of appvintinent, be found ComicbOoks peme- | trate to hie very heart’s core: but yet he admitted COMM