The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 265: what you’re looking at

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

248 REYNOLDS’ WORKS Edenbridge? He came down to get his upper coat brushed, and told me he was just about to start. In a word, when J went and told Lord Harold in the forenoon that all was right, I made sure it was, and so you will find it to be.” “Well, we'll take it for granted it 1s so,” said Chiffin. “Tt isn’t that I’m afraid, you know,” he added, with a grim look as he glanced slowly around upon his companions, ““ but I don’t like such a thing as a failure, and as we’ve only got half our reward paid down, and are to have t’other half when the job’s done, I want to make as sure of the last as I am of the first,’’ and here he significantly tapped his pocket. ‘“‘ Of course,” observed Mat the Cadger, with an assenting nod. ‘Then let’s be off,” said the Cannibal. ‘ We don’t want your services any more, old chap,’’ ho added, turning to the gardener, ‘“‘ so to you we say good-b:e.”’ The villains then issued forth one by one and at intervals of a few minutes, from the public-house, the three who were to be actively employed in the enterprise taking different directions to gain the point of meeting, which had been already settled. This was a narrow and dark lane at no ereat distance from Deveril’s house and there a covered spring-cart was waiting. The horse attached to it was a strongly built as well as fleet animal and a man in Lord Harold’s pay was in charge of this equipage. Close by, too, Lord Harold himself was waiting. Enveloped in a rough pea-coat, and with a glazed hat, the large brims of which slouched over his countenance, he was pacing to and fro with some degree of impatience, the time for the appearance of his agents having elapsed by some minutes. At length they came, one by one, and Chiffin, who was the first upon the spot, assured his lordship that it was all right, for he had been closely questioning the gardener upon the subject. “Then let us to work at once,’ said the young nobleman; “because when Deveril got to Edenbridge and found out that the letter was all a trick, he would naturally take the marquis’s carriage-and-four and return home. But that would make it past eleven o’clock, and so there is plenty of time, if we are expeditious.”’ ‘“ But about the up-trains, my lord?” said Chiffin, in- quiringly. ‘“T took good care to ascertain,’ responded Harold, ‘‘ that CONNIE DOO KS (E(@) m