The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 321: what you’re looking at

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

292 REYNOLDS’ WORKS recognized it to be that of one of the shark-teethed assassins of the two travellers in another part of the jungle. The Strangler was gazing with his penetrating eyes upon him, and being apparently satisfied that the Burker really slept, he drew himself up more and more above the thicket and the stones. He had on his dark, scanty garment, just the same as when the Burker had previously seen him, but he seemed to have no weapons of any kind, except the lasso, which was now tied around his waist. It was a relief to the Burker’s mind thus to ascertain the condition in which the Strangler presented himself. Stealthily he stepped forth from his ambush, and he seemed to be alone, for he tarried not to be followed by any com- panion, nor did he look down into the well to make any sign or to whisper any word. He now laid himself flat upon the grass, and began noiselessly dragging himself toward the Burker. This the Burker by no means liked, for the idea of a subtle poison at the point of some small, sharp instrument instantaneously flashed through his startled brain. For a few moments longer he remained undecided how to act, while the Strangler was working his noiseless way nearer and nearer toward him. All in a moment the Burker sprang up, but quick as his own movement was that of the Hindu, and not more quickly do two wild animals close in the deadly strife than did these two men grapple with each other. The Burker was astonished at the degree of strength developed by his opponent, whose wiry form, with but little flesh upon it, seemed likewise to be endowed with an extraordinary elasticity. The Burker felt that all his own energies were needed, for he read a ferocious des- peration in the sinister gleaming eyes of the Strangler. Those two men regarded each other as if the feeling were mutual that the safety of one could only be secured by the death of the other; and thus, after they had grappled together with the lightning agility already described, they paused for an instant, as if mutually to read each other’s purpose in their eyes. Then the struggle commenced. With a cry that resembled the mingled howl and yell of a wild beast, the Burker endeavoured to hurl his opponent to the ground, but the Hindu, anticipating the movement, erasped the Burker’s neckcloth with such terrific force as almost to strangle him. Then the Burker dealt tremendous CONIIE IOC <S (E()