The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

THE HANGMAN IN HIS GLORY AGAIN © 263 myself at Tagearty’s, all the flash cribs and boozing-kens were closely watched by Larry’s spies.”’ “To be sure! The information was deuced soon passed around to all the knowing ones,’’ observed Dick Melmoth, ‘and so we lost no time in putting you up to what was going on. Why, there was Joe Parkes’s on Saffron Hill, Sharp Mawley’s over in the Mint, Meg Blowen’s in the Almonry, Polly Scratchem’s down in Whitechapel, and Bencull’s crib in Jacob’s Island, — they were all close watched, day and night, without ceasing.” “And devilish lucky it was, then, that I hadn’t gone to elther,’’ said Daniel Coffin, ‘‘ as was my original intention. But by going and staying first with Old Jeremy Humpage in Whitechapel, then with the Swag Chovey Bloak in Bt. George’s Fields, I managed to escape all Mr. Sampson’s devices till the very day that Dysart was to be hung and I was wanted again at the Old Bailey. Come, give me another glass of lush,’ he exclaimed, with a chuckle that sounded like the subdued growl of a hyena; “ for, after all, I like talking of these things when they are all past and gone and the danger’s over.”’ ‘And so you really do suspect Taggarty?”’ said Sally Melmoth, as she refilled the Hangman’s glass. “Well, I don’t see how the devil I can help suspecting him,” returned Coffin. ‘‘ The idea flashed to my mind all in a moment; but it at once took a deep root there, and now let me tell you that if I was to think over it a hundred years, I couldn’t be more convinced than I am at this instant that it was Taggarty who must have peached.”’ “ But what are you going to Larry Sampson’s for this morning? ’’ asked his mistress. “Why, there’s five or six fellows to be tucked up down in the country,’’ answered the Hangman, with a sinister leer; “and I was going to ask Larry just to drop a note to the sheriffs of those counties and recommend me as a gentleman which does his business in a neat, agreeable, and workman- like manner in the hanging line,” and he gave another low, chuckling laugh the mirth of which was as pleasant as that of a hyena. “ But you don’t want such country custom, do you? ”’ asked Sally, in surprise. “No such thing,”’ returned Coffin; “ but what I do want COnniCcooolks (C(O)