The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 223: what you’re looking at

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

a a CE 208 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. in his manner: he couldn’t have concealed it—i! “This will be good news for him,” said Tugs would have been uppermost in his mind, and so | “ He told me he shouldn’t be back till just upon have alowed itself in his obserwations. But it | daylight, and I’m going to sit up for him.” didn’t: and so I’m as sure that he got loads of swag “Then you can deliver my message,” said Madge: last night as that Pm suckling this here blessed | and appearing to be somewhat in a hurry, she took babby.” her departure. “ What a clever woman you be, Polly,” was the “ Well, didn’t I manage capital to perwent the compliment now paid her by her nusband. ‘‘ Who'd | woman staying ?” said Tugs. “ If she had, Chiffin have thought you was pumping the Cannibal all | would have flitted away on hearing the news, and the time you seemed to be chatting so cosy and for- | we should have been baulked in our job—eh, miliar ?” Polly ?” “ Well, but it was so,” replied Mrs. Tugs; “and ““Yes—you managed capital,” responded the if that feller hasn’t got his pockets lined with blunt, | woman. “ Now mind you manage as well presently I'll eat this babby up at a mouthful—I will.” when the thing is to be done—that’s all.” “A precious mean chap he is, then '” exclaimed The husband and wife then drew closer together Tugs now looking particularly ferocious through the | until their faces almost met; and in subdued whis- black grime on his face. pers did they discourse upon the murderous project “ Mean!” echoed his wife: “he’s a measly skin- | they had devised. flint—coming here, bolting our grub, and swallow- In the mean time Madge Somers, when quitting ing our lush, and just giving us a shillinz ur two | the barge, had pursued her way along the towing- tow’rds housekeeping, when he ought to coine down | path; and at a short distance she encountered Chif- handsome and make us a jolly good present. I’m | fin the Cannibal. sick of such conduct, I be.” “Ah!” she exclaimed: ‘then you have altered “Well, Polly, if what’s passing in my mind is | your mind r” passing in your’n too, we'll have the whole of Ins “ Altered my mind?” he repeated, in a growling blunt afore many hours is over:’—and the man tone. ‘“ What ths deuce are you talking about?” looked hard at his wife to read her answer in her “Why, in coming tack so soon—that is how you countenance. have altered your init: for I suppose you are now “ When a chap behaves his-self as Chiffin is doing | on your way to the barge ?” now,” she replied, “I would as soon drawa knife| “To be sure. 2 coly just came out to get a across his throat and sink him in the canal as I’d | mouthful of fresh aw. I can’t endure being cooped eat my dinner. So if you're the man, ‘'ugs, to do | up in that coflin-t:0 place.” the job, I’m the woman as will help yer.” “Then what niads you tell those people that “/hen I’m blowed if it isn’t as good as done,” re- | you did not intena to return till cluse upon day- sponded the Blue-ruin Carrier: “‘ perwided we set- light ?” tles how it is to be done—that’s all.” “You don’t mean to say they told you that?” “Done? Why, in the way I’ve said,” was the exclaimed Chiffin. quick answer given by his wife. “ Hush! some one “But I do though: and that’s the reason I did calls.” not stop. I however left a message with them for Tugs hastily jumped up from his seat, and thrust | you——” his head out of the hatchway of the cabin. A woman | “And what's it about? Have you made if all was standing in the towing-path ; and through the | right?” gloom Tugs at once recognised Madge Somers. “ Yes—after a great deal of trouble,” responded “All right!” he said. “Come on board.” Madge. “Her ladyship has intimated to the de- Madge accordingly stepped on the barge, and de- tectives who had the thing in hand, that she does scended into the cabin. Tugs offered her some gin: | Dot wish the proccedings to go any farther. The but she refused to take it—immediately adding, excuse she made was that somebody had been to “ Where is he P” her, brought all the things back that had been stolen “ What news have you got for him ?” asked Tugs, from the house, and besought her merey and for- evading the woman’s question. bearance; and that therefore, as her chief object «“ Good news,” she replied. ‘ But where is he, I , vas gained in recovering her valuables, she was dis- ask ?”’ pused to grant the request. In short, she gave the “Well, that’s a pity,” said Tugs: ‘for he’s gone detectives to understand that she did not choose to out for the night again.” have the trouble and discomfort of a prosecution, Tee especially as she was very soon going out of town. “ How provoking!” exclaimed Madge Somers. | “ Butif he didn’t mind running these risks, what was | The detectives went and called upon her ladysiip in consequence of this note which she sent them: the use of my troubling myself to get the thing put but as she gave them each a pretty handsome sum right and square for him? I cannot wait till he re- turns—I cannot come back again when he is likely for the trouble they had already taken, they of course promised to follow her directions. So as far to be here; and therefore I must leave a message as that affair goes, you are safe enough. I saw with you. You can tell him that the business is hushed up, and that her ladyship has intimated to Tony Wilkins just now; ang he told me that you the police that all her things have been restored to had a fine affair of it last night—heaps of money, her on condition that she would not move any fur- besides a lot of diamonds and other valuables: so ther in the matter, and that as she has got them | What with the swag you got from Lady Saxondale, back her object is answered. Of course a single the money I gave you a little time back, and the word from her ladyship was sufficient to stop the produce of last night, you must be quite rich.” “Well, do you mean to turn borrower, Madge ?” proceedings ; and so Chiflin has nothing more to fear in that quarter.” asked Chiflin, evidently not relishing the woman's . . sneer cep ECC CEE TEE ALLO AO Gomichooks. com