The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

THE VILLA 251 declaring, with a horrible imprecation, that he would blow her brains out if she did not hold her tongue. But at this instant there was a hasty rush of footsteps up the stairs, and the next moment William Deveril, Don Diego Christoval, the young Lord Everton, and the Marquis of Hagledean made their appearance, each presenting pistols and bidding the villains surrender. Chiffin the Cannibal and Spider Bill dropped Madge Somers upon the carpet, but at the same instant the former was seized upon by the power- ful arms of Count Christoval and hurled upon the floor, while ‘Spider Bill was simultaneously overpowered by William Deveril. Mat the Cadger, dropping his weapon, made one rush to the casement, tore it open, and precipitated himself forth, just as Lord Everton clutched him by the skirts of his coat, so that it was a miracle the young nobleman was not dragged forth after him. The villain alighted upon a border under the window, and instantaneously picking himself up, rushed madly away. Almost immediately afterward a vehicle might have been heard driving quickly off, for Lord Harold, who was so stationed below that he could command a view of that window, on perceiving this sudden descent and flight of Mat the Cadger, comprehended in a moment that the project had failed. He therefore hur- ried off the vehicle, while he himself fled precipitately in another direction, and in the wildest excitement, lest the officers of justice should be upon his heels. We must now for a few instants descend to the lower part of the premises, to announce that the captivity of the female servants was not of long duration, for the door of the cellar was quickly opened by Francis Paton, who besought the terrified women not to give way to their alarms, nor do any- thing to raise the neighbourhood, as there were others in the house who would prevent any further ruffanism on the part of the intruders. Leaving the lady’s-maid and cook to recover the housemaid from her swoon, Francis sped up-stairs, where the following spectacle at once met his eyes. While young Lord Everton had quickly closed the casement again, the Marquis of Eagledean cut the cords which bound Angela to the chair, and he then hastened to assist her in lifting Madge Somers back into the bed from which she had been so rudely torn. Just outside the threshold, Don Diego Christoval had one knee upon Chiffin’s chest, a hand CONNIE DOOKS (F()