The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

enemas ere eee a aT aC Rats THE MYSTERIES. b!] “It is of the greatest consequence that I should ob- tain an interview with him as soon as possible.” “ He is not here—aneither is the Gallows’ Widow, which is his blowen,” answered the Big Beggarman, “They're gone over into Wappmg together, and “Fivery minute's delay is «Now don’t excite yourself, sir,” said Carrotty Poll, in a soothing voice. “We can guess pretty “Sir Richard Stamford is at liberty!” exclaimed Rameésy, Mterrupting the young woman impatiently, and striking the table with his clenched fist. “We know it,” observed the Beggarman “ But it is not our fanit: he escaped !” “You are not deceiving me?” cned Ramsey, in a tene of inmngled excitement and menace. “ How can yoa prove to me that he did indeed escape—and that neither you nor Joseph Warren, ndr any of your ssoctates, conmived at his flight {” “Well—it may be a difficult matter for me to convince you, Mr. Ramsey,” returned the villam : “but if you was t’other side of the river at thts mo- ment, I could take you to the place where the baro- wet was confieed, and stow you the hole that he tnade in the wall of the cellar.” “I am inclined to believe you—I do betieve you,” taid Ramsey. “In fact, if I had really suspected treachery on your part I should not have come hither this evening. Mr. Martin assured me that the ut- most reliance was to be placed upon Warren—and he urged me to come to London and see him without delay. ) “Bat how did you learn that the baronet had escaped?” demanded thé Beggarman : “for the Magaman only wrote this evening to let you know what had happened—and the letter won’t reach Aylesbury till to-morrow moming. He was in hopes of being able to discover Sir Richard again, imi take him back to his old quarters: and that’s the he didn’t send you immediate intelligence reason w of his fli “ Lest Mr. Martin received the most petive information tha Sir Richard had been seen in Roney urhood of Aylesbury,” said Philip and, as you may suppose, we were | procee wiche, with nosy, In fact, it will be ruin to both Martin and myself—positive ruin,” added the young man, with frightful emphasis, “if the baronet is allowed to remain many more hours at large. What is to be done f” "What would you wish to be done?” asked the hegearmian “and when you have told us, what you pay for having it done ?” “Yon are disposed to assist us—to any extent— to any extreme f” said Ramsey, sinking his voice to a low whisper, which was nevertheless full of mean- ing: and he bent his looks with kindred significancy upon the villain whom he thus addressed. “Let us understand each other, Mr. Ramsey,” obsttved the Beggatman. “You gave us a good round sum for carrying off the baronet, and keeping him in limbo: and we fulfilled our as far as we could, We don't hold ourselves answerable for his escape—‘cause why, we couldn't help it, We him in a and secure place;—and we wed that we might rely upon Briggs—that’s the chap which had him in his care—as well as on our ownselves, He wouldn’t sign the paper which you and Mr. Martin had drawn up—and that was no fault of our'n neither. But we should have kept him in the cellar till he did: and if he’d held out much longer, we meant to have starved him into compliance. Now, then, you perceive that we did our dooty towards you and your partner as well as we was able: and we don’t see that anythink fresh or new which you may want us to have donc or re “ for you, should be execnted free gratis for no- “ Your observations are perfectly just and your reasoning is correct,” said Ramsey. ‘“ Weare pre- pared to pay you well for what you must do next.” “In that case, we shan’t have no quarrels,” re- marked the Big Beggarman. “ But how go on mat- ters at Aylesbury? We saw by yesterday morn- ing’s paper that Lady Stamford was not dead—that she was not even mortally wounded—and that tho Coroner’s Inquest was held to examine into the cause of the fire, and not the death of the lady, as was at fost reported.” “ It is all these circumstances which render it so necessary that Sir Richard Stamford should cither be got out of the way—or else put out of the way,” returned Ramsey, again fixing a look of dark and sinister meaning upon the countenance of the Beggarman. “The Coroner’s Inquest has de- cided,” he continued, “ that the fire was the result of accident—caused by a candle beiag upset on the supper-table. Thus, the charge of arson no longer presses against Sir Richard Stamford. Then, again, a surgical opinion declares that the wound was inflicted on Lady Stamford with her own hand: and therefore the accusation of murder is likewise quashed.” “But the forgeries, Mr. Ramsey—the forgeries ?” exclaimed the Beggarman. “Perhaps the less we say on that subject, the better,” was the reply, delivered in a sombre and loomy tone. “But it is useless to remain here, idly conversing on these matters,” he continued, his tone suddenly and excited. “Sir Richard Stamford is in the neighbourhood of Aylesbury—we know where he is concealing him- self, while he doubtless waits to ascertain how it may turn out with his wife, ere he takes any actual roceedings—— “ And that lady—i she sensible ?—can she speak, 60 as to give any acoount of matters that may tell against you, sir?” inquired Carrotty Poll: “for the Magsman informed us that you was pretty intimate with her,” she added, with a chuckling laugh. “She is sfill hovering between life and death,” answered Ramsey, scarcely able to conceal his disgust at the grossness of the woman’s manner. “ But again I say, do not waste time in asking me questions: assist me, if you will,” he continued, ad- dressing himself to the Big Beggarman ; —“ and if not, I must adopt other means to ensure my safety.” “JT have not refased to assist you,” replied tho burly, red-faced villain doggedly ; > § but you haven’t given me no instructions.” “You are dull at comprehending a hint,” said Ramsey, with an impatient uncasiness and reatless- ness which indicated that he bad already planned a a terrible deed, but shrank from avowing his thoughts. “ {remember you observed just now that the a ee COMGLOO S COMM