The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 324: what you’re looking at

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LL nee e eee n een ee ene mmm mmnnn ee st Snsssmenseneescs THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. / 310 “aye—and very probable too. You see, sir, I am | with the Hangman, Sally Melmoth, and Jack the a farmer, living in these parts; and I have heard too much already of the dreadful character of the villains that infest Shooter’s Hill.” * Villains indeed, Lord have mercy upon us!” said the landlord, looking as grave and solemn as his semi-intoxicated condition would permit. “Poor thing, poor thing!” observed Sally Mel- moth, clasping her hands in apparent dismay at the picture which her imagination was conjuring up: then fixing her eyes with fearful meaning upon the Baronet, she said, “ Ah! sir, it would be a dreadful thing indeed if the poor young woman who has just saved you life, should lose her own on that very account!” * By heavens, you have filled me with excru- ciating terrors!” exclaimed Sir Douglas, starting from his seat. I did not think the young woman would run such a dreadful risk—or else not for worlds would I have abandoned her in a cowardly manner. But Isee that you are right—they are indeed murderous miscreants—and if they should suspect the poor creature ——” “T can’t sit here quiet,” interrupted the Hang- man, also springing from his seat, “ while perhaps murder is being done. No—I can’t do it,” he cried, with an air and tone of blunt honesty. “Tl go, even if I go alone—and prevent bloodshed there.” * No, brave man—you shall not go alone,” ex- claimed the Baronet, seizing Daniel Coffin’s hand and pressing it with an eifusion of the warmest admiration and gratitude. “ We will go together —we will save that young woman if she be in danger: and at any rate we will take her away from her vile companions. See—I am armed with a knife,’ he added, unbuttoning his coat, and dis- playing the weapon which he had brought away with him from the hut. * And I’ve fortunately got my barkers with me,” said the Hangman, producing a pair of pistols, “But come—let us be off. Jack,” he added, turning to the Foundling, “ of course you will come with us. The more we are, the stronger we shall be ae “Oh! you shall not leave me behind,” exclaimed Sally Melmoth. “I shall go with you. I long to be able to say a kind word to a woman who, though the companion of murderers, has dared to save a fellow creature’s life at the hazard of her own.” “Well, you are a brave woman, wife,” said the Hangman, pretending to tap her affectionately on the countenance; “and so you shall come. Wow then, let us all be off.” The whole of this colloguy—indeed the entire scene, from the instant Sir Douglas Huntingdon crossed the threshold of the Jolly Waggoner until he issued forth again—scarcely occupied ten minutes. The theme of the discourse was full of excitement for the Baronet; and he found himself hurried away by a torrent of terrible misgivings relative to Nell Gibson on the one band, and a chivalrous anxiety to redeem his character from any imputation of cowardice on the other. His feelings, therefore, being kept in a whirl the whole time, he neither had calmness enough to perceive that there was anything sinister in the looks of his new acquaintances, nor leisure to reflect upon the honesty of their motives. But yielding to the im- pulse which they had so artfully given to his feel- ivgs, he unbesitatingly sallied forth im company — — —— oo ee =, ee Foundling. They all proceeded across the fields, the Hang- man acting as the guide; and it was quite evident that, despite the Egyptian darkness which pre- vailed, he was well acquainted with the path. But then Sir Douglas Huatingdon remembered that — the man had represented himself as a farmer be- © longing to the district; and it was therefore na- tural enough that he should be thus familiar with every inch of the locality. They advanced at a pace which was so rapid as to sustain the hurry of the Baronet’s thoughts and the excitement of his feelings : and thus he had neither leisure nor scope for those reflections which would perbaps have en- gendered suspicions in his mind relative to the in- tegrity of his present companions. “'There’s the hut!” said the Hangman, as they presently beheld a light glimmerving a-head. “ Had we not better approach with considerable caution ?” inquired the Baronet. “ Yes—let us creep as quiet as we can up to the place,” returned Coffin. They accordingly advanced stealthily: and as they drew nearer, they observed that lights were burning in the room above as well as in the apart- ment below. On reaching the hut, they peeped through one of the windows on the ground floor: the candles were flaring with long wicks on the tables—but no one was in the apartment. “T suppose the ruflians are all out looking for me,” said the Baronet, in a low whisper. “Most likely,” responded the Hangman. “Let us enter the cottage.” He accordingly opened the door and passed in, followed by the Baronet, Sally Melmoth, and Jack the Foundling. But scarcely had the party thus entered the hut, when the Hangman sprang at Sir Douglas Hunt- ingdon like a tiger darting at its prey, and dashed him on the floor with such violence that he was stunned by the ruffianly outrage. The Hangman then tore open the Baronet’s coat; and taking away the knife which Sir Douglas had concealed about his person, the ruffian flung it to a distance. His next proceeding was to draw forth a piece of rope from one of his own capacious pockets, in order to bind the Baronet hand and foot. “Ill go up-stairs and see who's there,” said Sally Melmoth, while her paramour was thus em- ployed. “Perhaps that traitress Nell Gibson is up above, asa light is burning there,” she added. “You had better take care,” observed the Hangman. “If she suspects that she’s found out, she may do you a mischief: for she’s not a woman to give in easy, I can tell you.” “ Ali! then I had better prepare for.a batiie 2?” exclaimed Sally: and flinging off her bonnet and cloak, she seized the knife in one hand anda candle in the other, her whole appearance suddenly denoting the natural ferocity ot her disposition when her choler was once excited. ‘‘ Now if that she-devil, whe I always hated and also suspected, should attempt any of her nonsense, Ill pluage this deep down into her heart :”—and she bran- dished the knife menacingly, her countenance, which was by no means bad looking, being now distorted with the workings of diabolical pas- SIODS. “Go with her, Jack,” said Daniel Cofin, who | | | | ! | | | COMMICLO© S (€)