The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 256: what you’re looking at

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

CAPTAIN STANLEY 227 the claims you ere now alluded to, and everything shall be done for you.” ‘“ T will not come to Oaklands, but I will have that gold! ”’ yelled forth the woman, and the next instant she sprang over the stile. Christina turned and fled precipitously, for there was all the ferocious wildness of a tiger-cat in the look of that woman. The latter sped in pursuit, and in a few moments she clutched Christina’s shoulder. A scream burst from the young lady’s lips, but at the same instant some one was seen rushing toward the spot, and Captain Stanley appeared upon the scene. It was now the woman who turned to fly, but Stanley rushed after her. She stopped short and con- fronted him. ‘“Dare to touch me,” she exclaimed, ‘“‘ and I will tear your face as if with the claws of a wild beast! ”’ “Sorry am I,” answered Captain Stanley, ‘ to be com- pelled to lay my hands upon a woman, but you shall not escape me thus.” A labouring man now made his appearance at the stile, and on perceiving the altercation, he rushed to the spot. ‘‘ Secure this woman!” said Stanley. The infuriate creature made a bound at the young officer, but she stumbled and fell, and the peasant instantaneously secured her. Resistance on her part was vain, for the man’s brawny arms being thrown around her, pinioned her lank arms to her side and held her powerless. Captain Stanley hastily accosted Christina, and learned from the young lady’s lips everything that had passed between herself and the woman. As Stanley listened, an idea flashed to his mind. Who could the woman be but Barbara Smedley? She had for some time been missing. Stanley had read the hand-bills offering a reward for her apprehension; he remembered the description given of her, and despite the change which misery and privation had wrought in the murderess, there was still a sufficient rem- nant of her former self to justify the belief that she was the identical one who had just been overpowered. Besides, there was no other way of accounting for the words that she had used, to the effect that she had contributed materially to the success and development of the claims of the twins. “ Yes, it must be so,” exclaimed Captain Stanley, after CORE Oe SS) (SO)