The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

——_—_—_——— ' nishment and disappointment in a succession of fearful . _— —— - ~ THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. help him. We may already make sure of the money still being our own—of the rents that we shall have to receive, and that we shall bave henceforth to divide between us.” “Humph!” growled Randall; “for the matter of that, the lad might live, if his right to the property is as much unknown to him now as ever, and if you take better care of these papers for the future, Let him away to the sea once more, and there are & hundred chances to one in our favour against his turning up again.” “But we had better make sure of that now, Mr. Randall,” returned the other, striving to keep pace with the rapid strides of his companion; “ we may never again have so excellent an opportunity, When once we know that he is dead we may feel ourselves secure, but not till then—not till then.” “And forget not that the money is to be paid directly the deed is done,” reminded the bird-fancier. “If you attempt to play me false in this matter, to trick me out of the fair half I was promised, you shall find I have a pretty quick way of bringing these accounts to a reckoning. So if you mean to swindle me after all, and value your own safety, you and I had better part company at once.” “You are too severe upon me, you are indeed,” remonstrated Hawkins, in a whining, hypocritical tone. “ You know, my good friend, that I have con- cealed in that building a great amount of money, more even than you would be entitled to from the con- ditions we have made, and you know that 1 conld not withhold it from one who has been so clever in finding out one hoard of mine already.” “ Which, of course, you have not been fool enough to contribute to, since I came upon the track of it,” added Randall; “and as for the rest, I might knock the whole place to the ground before I came upon the right spot. However, if you shirk out of the bargain at the last moment, mind,I give you fair warning, the less your miserable old body comes within reach of my grasp the better.” As Randall quickened his pace towards the hovel that was now only a few yards before them, he saw not the scowl] of hatred that passed like a dark cloud over the face of the miser, who, following closély upon his tread, seemed with difficulty to prevent himself from uttering aloud the sinister wishes of his heart. Bat as the building was approached, the former cold and saturnine expression of his countenance returned, and he whispered to the bird-fancier, in a fawning tone: “Now, my deur friend, remove the fastenings care- fully; one blow from your strong hand, good Jacob, and then——” The remainder of the sentence was lost in a sudden exclamation of surprise from Randall, who, having taken the key from Hawkins, had thrown open the door of the barn, and found the place empty; whilst the chisel struck into the old brick wall, and the sky- light broken through above, palpably proclaimed the mode of flight. “The game's up!” he exclaimed, venting his asto- oaths; “the bird bas flown.” “Gone!” ejaculated Hawkins, entering the build- ing, and looking with savage fury on the proofs that were visible of the manner in which the escape had been managed; “ten thousand curses on the hand that has assisted hit, for he could not have done this alone!” and the miser, grinding his teeth with ferocious “There are signs enough here of another having come to the rescue,” remarked Randall, who had again crossed the threshold, and examined the traces of recent footsteps in the long wet grass. “ The place is. not so little frequented as you seem to imagine;” and he turned round witha sneer to Hawkins, who, having just noticed that the brick had been removed which concealed his treasure, was excited by the discovery of his loss to absolute frenzy. “Villain! robber!’ he cried, his voice choking with fury, “ you have done this. You have been in the plot to cheat me. You have wormed my secret out of me; and now you have led me here to chuckle over my disappointment. my gold—give me back the money that you have Give me back stolen!” And he flung himself, in the excess of his mad passion, on the burly form of the bird-fancier, “ Fool! madman!” exclaimed Randall, with ve- hemence, as he thrust the miser back to arm’s length ; “are you crazy with the loss of a few paltry shillings, that you suppose I know any thing of the lad giving us the slip? Take:your hands off, I say; or if I return a blow for this, you will repent it.” “J am ruined~—my money has been stolen from me!” almost shrieked the miser, as he relaxed his hold; “ but you alone knew of this; and none but you could have used me thus. Tell me what you have done with the boy, and I will forgive you; but give me back the hard savings of my life, which I have perilled body and soul to scrape together.” And the wretched man, grovelling on his knees, looked up im- ploringly at the stern figure of the bird-fancier, who “J tell you,” he thundered forth, “I know neither what has become of the lad, nor the money that you rave so much about. Bat though it seems we have come here to no purpose, I am not to be done out of my dues. The bargain you made has been kept on my part, and shall be on yours. So hand me over the sum you promised, or else, now I know the whole affair, you shall find the police on your track before another day is added to your miserable existence,” “No, not a shilling more,” gasped the miser, as, | clinging to the spot where his hoard had been broken | open, he found the loss not so great as he had sup- posed; “not a shilling of this belongstoyou. Ihave a right to all—it is mine,” “Then, if you force me to pay myself,” continued Randall, “I shall hesitate no longer;” and striding across to the place where the old man stood, eagérly examining the gmount that he had drawn from the aperture in the wall, he snatched two of the canvass bags from the ground, and thrust them into his Vest, making, at the same time, a grasp at the remainder. “Help! thieves! they are robbing me!” screamed, rather than shouted, the old man, as with eager tenacity he clutched at the last one Randall had secured, and which, torn in the struggle, now Jet fall a quantity of silver coin upon the floor. “ Help! rob- — bery ! help!” ; “ Croak away, my old rayen,” cried the other, Heed= less of the glance of vindictive fury that Hawkiis directed towards him; “yoa forget your own words —it isa lonely spot to fix upon—a man might call for help ever so loud, and there would be none to hear or help him.” | vee “Fiend, would you drive me mad!” shrieked the miser, as, with his frame trembling under the influence — of strong passion, he saw the bird-fancier coolly pos energy, gave way to the wildest ebullitions of rage | sessing himself of the scattered coin. in the excess of his impotent passion. “Wait till l have gathered uv the whole of what olga —-—— (GO ARK