The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 332: what you’re looking at

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

THE STRANGLER 303 to penetrate. Like a snake ready to dart from its coil was the Burker prepared to spring, but whether it were that he made some slight movement, or that he suddenly held his breath in a way to convince the foe that he was not really asleep, we cannot say. Certain however it was that the enemy’s form was all in a moment withdrawn, noise- lessly though rapidly, and the Burker, rubbing his eyes, fancied that it must be a dream. The stones were restored to their setting, just as he had originally placed them; the aperture was filled up, and only the feeble glimmerings through the interstices met his view. All this, too, was done with no more noise than a pin would make in falling, nor from the slightest sound could he judge at what moment his enemy retired from the vicinity of the cave. The Burker however slept no more for the remainder of that night. When morning came, he removed his barrier, and issued cautiously from the cavern. He was miserably desponding and low-spirited. His worst fears were confirmed, — the Strangler was resolved to have his life. And now, might not that mortal enemy abandon the idea of carrying on his warfare unassisted? Might he not invoke the succour of the comrade whom he had with him at the time the two travellers were murdered, and might they not fall boldly and openly together upon the Burker during the daytime? Resolved in such a case to sell his life as dearly as possible, the man procured a stout, strong, knotted cudgel, with which he knew that he could do desperate execution. But still he felt as if frightful perils hung over his head, and how anxiously, oh, how anxiously he kept watching for the appearance of some gossoon or other traveller who might be inclined to show a friendly spirit toward him. Several hours passed. The sun was at its meridian height, pouring down its vertical beams, when the Burker, sitting in the shade of the entrance to his cavern, thought. that he heard a sort of splashing noise in the direction of the spring of crystal water that gushed out behind the rock. Snatching up his club, he issued forth, passed noise- lessly around the rock, and found himself face to face with the Strangler. The Hindu had most probably slipped down while endeavouring to climb that part of the rock in order to reconnoitre previous to an attack. Like a wild beast did the Burker fly at the Strangler, at GOMIIGDOG SS) (S©)