The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 305: what you’re looking at

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

THE GATHERING OF A STORM 279 her away and not let her stare up at him with her eyes that was fixed and dull as if made of glass; and he trembled all over with convulsions.”’ ‘““So he did,’’ remarked the Hangman, “ and while you and me shoved the dead body over into the dike, we were obliged to leave the Mushroom Faker and Bob the Durry- nacker here to look after the Buttoner. But what has the Buttoner been doing ever since then? I don’t think I have seen him more than once or twice.”’ ‘For the last two or three months I haven’t seen him at all,’ said Bencull, ‘‘ until this afternoon. It’s true I hadn’t thought much about him, because he is often out on the tramp for several months together; but when he turned up in this queer way just now, and I saw him with old Mother Franklin, it made me feel just as if I was all of a sudden in Queer Street. I say, Dan’el, I suppose you know pretty well that Mother Franklin doesn’t like you a bit? ”’ ‘“‘ The old harridan!”’ growled the Hangman, ‘‘ she wants to be tumbled over into the ditch. But, I say, this is getting rather serious about the Buttoner — ”’ At this moment there was a knock at the street door, and Bencull at once observed, ‘‘ Here’s the other coves.”’ He then proceeded to answer the summons, and speedily returned, accompanied by the Durrynacker and the Mush- room Faker. The four ruffians now sat in solemn conclave to deliberate on the threatening aspect which affairs appeared to have assumed in respect to the murder of Nell Gibson. Several plans were discussed. The Mushroom Faker proposed that they should entice, or convey by force, both Mother Franklin and the Buttoner down to the crib and make away with them. Bob the Durrynacker suggested flight, but Bencull was inclined to support the Mushroom Faker’s murderous project. The Hangman sat listening in silence to the deliber- ations that were thus going on. “ Well, why don’t you say what you think? ” asked Ben- cull. ‘“‘ Come, Dan’el, speak out.” ‘“‘T hardly know what to decide upon,’’ was his response. “As for bolting, that’s altogether out of the question. 1| tell you what I will do,’ he added, after a few moments’ reflection, ‘ I’ll just toddle up to Mrs. Young’s and see how things look there.”’ (C(O) nn) GDoOo <Sii nin