The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

10 REYNOLDS’ WORKS in the adjacent apartment, on the impropriety of scoundrels in general and Mr. Sycamore in particular, taking up their quarters at first-rate hotels, so that the culprit was enabled to slip out of the establishment, closely accompanied, however, by the two detectives. In the street they met the dapper groom, and he at once comprehended that something was the matter. It was impossible to avoid giving him a suitable explanation, whereupon he darted away, thinking perhaps that it was impolitic for him to reénter the hotel, as he might stand a chance of being given into custody as an aider and abettor of his master in the process of swindling which had been carried on. Neither did he deem it expedient to accompany his master to London, and thus he did indeed fulfill Mr. Sycamore’s recommendation, that he should shift for himself. Barely five minutes had elapsed after Sycamore’s de- parture with the two detectives — and while the waiter was acquainting the barmaid and all the other domestics with the details of the explosion that had just occurred — when a telegraphic despatch was hurriedly brought into the hotel from the railway-station. It contained simply these words: “ Give Sycamore and the groom into custody. Leave Mr. Ashton unmolested; he is innocent. I shall be down by the next train.’’ This was from the landlord of the hotel, who had gone up to London, where he had instituted inquiries with such rapidity and effect as to be enabled to arrive at the conclu- sions contained in that telegraphic despatch. It was, how- ever, too late to act upon it, for the hand of justice had already laid its grasp upon one of the scoundrels, and the other had decamped. Christian Ashton entered the hotel at this conjuncture. He was speedily made acquainted with what had occurred, and the telegraphic despatch was shown to him. He was infinitely delighted thus to discover that his own reputation remained perfectly undamaged, and he proceeded to explain the circumstances under which he had withdrawn himself in the forenoon from Mr. Sycamore’s employment, and how he had overheard at the tavern the intention on the part of Messrs. Shadbolt and Withers to arrest that individ- ual. The barmaid now understood wherefore our young hero had asked for his bill separately from Sycamore’s ac- CORMICLIOO KS (E(0)