The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

ole 126 THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. aside announced that his signal had reached the ears of those within; and atter a rapid interchange of words had taken place, the door was opened and the two were admitted. The man who received them was Saunders the coiner, who had shifted his quarters frem Westminster in consequence of the unexpected domiciliary visits of the police; and in the room to which they were now introduced were visible such implements of his illicit vocation as proved he had not giver up the business with the place where he had formerly carried it on with such success. . “JT suppose Slogger has brought you here on the old errand?” cried he, as he recegnised in the stalwart figure before him the person of his former visitor, to whom, in default of knowing his real name, they had attached the nickname of the * Phantom.’’ “Why, not exactly,” was the answer given by the unknown, “for at present I have business with yeu of amore important nature. But let me first ask you whether I may speak freely without being overheard - if not, I will postpone the communication I was about to make to a more convenient time.” “You may take the present time for what you have to say as well as any other,” rejoined Saunders with a bewildered air of perplexity; and turning to his associate, he added, “‘ unless you look upon Slogger as an eaves-dropper, and we can easily put him out of hearing.” “Not he. If there is no one else here, I need keep this no secret from him, inasmuch as he is in my confidence, and indeed his presence during our conver- sation may be necessary.” “Indeed!” ejaculated Saunders, glancing suspi- ciously from one to the other; but a feeling of confi- dence in b‘s own strength, and a look that convinced him they were not there with hostile intentions, re- assured him, and he continued, “for half an hour at least we may rely upon having nobody in the crib but curselyes.” | “So much the better for my purpose,” said the unknown, in reply, “ and now the sooner I tell you what I require of you the less time will be lost, I want the services of three men, who, on the condition of having a good round sum of money paid down beforeliand, will assist me in carrying out a little scheme that I have in contemplation. They must be well able to endure a sea voyage, and not indisposed to take one.” “ Well, so far as that goes, I see no objection to making one myself, but I should like to hear some- thing more before I bind myself to the bargain.” “ Briefly then,” continued the Phantom, “ the task you would have to perform is this. To-morrow night I should require you to be at a certain spot in the Waterloo Road, to which Slogger will direct you. When you have entered a house which I have there taken, you will have to secrete yourself until the arrival of two persons who will be pointed out to you. At a signal from me you will rush upon them and secure them from either offering any resistance or raising any alarm. Thus bound you will conduct them through the vaults, with which you are ac- quainted, ferce them into a vehicle that will be await- ing you for the purpose by the old gateway at the back, and thence you will be driven to the docks. A ship will sail a few minutes after your arrival, and you must accompany your prisoners on board, and never lose sight of them until the vessel has gained its destination, which will be Australia. Havel been sufficiently explicit ?” , ——— EE — —— _ ~= aw we ee mm a ee “ Well, this is a bold project of yours, I must con- fess,” muttered the coiner, as he gazed in amazement on the speaker, “ and makes me wonder who the deuce you are, that you should have the daring to propose such a thing, as wellas who the two persons may be that you are going to transport in this unceremo- nious fashion, without putting the Old Bailey to any trouble, or the Government te any expense?” | “That you will learn in due time,” was the stern } and implacable rejoinder; “do you consent to form one of the party and provide the other two?” “ How much do you propose giving if I agree?” asked Saunders, doubtfully. “Six hundred pounds among yon, subject to this condition, that on your arrival at Sydney you enter at once into some honest employment, and forsake your present course of life,” “Six hundred!” echoed Saunders, his eyes spark~ ling at the offer; “it is a fortune. I consent, and Slegger, I dare say, will be another.” “He has already agreed to it,” interposed the Phantom, whilst a corroborative nod confirmed the truth of the assertion; “the third you will have no difficulty in fixing upon.” “Gubbins is the very man!” cried the coiner, thoughtfully ; and he dropped eff into a brown study, as he began pondering on the new world that this had opened to his view, . A gesture of impatience from the Phantom aroused him from his revery, and he then hurriedly exclaimed, as if he had forgotten the most important part of the agreement, * But how is this to be paid?” * Three hundred pounds shall be in your possession before you start, and the remainder shall be given to the captain, who will hand over the amount directly. the vessel gets into port.” | “ 1’m satisfied,” rejoined Saunders; “ and if I hesi- tated about it, as I have done, it was only because I was afraid of a trap.” “You had no reason to expect that from me,” an- swered the unknown, “ for I could have put the police on your track we ago had it been my intention to have done so. You cannot have forgotten already that, when we first met, I told you that I knew of a certain murder committed in a lonely copse in Lan- casbire; and that, if a word from you should make it necessary, I could point out the grave of the murdered victim, and, stripping it ef its leafy covering, de- nounce the name of him who struck the fatal blew.” “How you came te know this,” said abashed by being reminded of the event, and averting his head in consciousness of his guilt, “is a mystery that always confounded me. There was not a witness to the deed, and, unless the man himself could have come to life again, there was no evidence against me.” “The guilty have an accuser always near them,” responded the other, “and the knowledge of this should sink deeply into the heart of those who tremble on the verge of crime. Did I not know that repentance and remorse have been real, I should not have waited until now to have asked for retribution.” “I confess he fell by my hand, and bitterly have I since regretted it,” added Saunders; “ but it was done under the momentary effects of passion, and I meant not to take his lifes We were both poachers—had quarrelled that day about the division of the game we bad snared—and exasperated by his threats, I struck at him with a knife I held in my hand, and he dropped down senseless at my feet. There was a | narrew vit dug at his side, and terrified at the idea of - P Gomicbooks.com