The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 234: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 231 baffled malice the fellow made a stab at him, but Rafferty stepped aside, and the sharp blade went deep into the floor. ‘“Why, you vagabond,” said Rafferty; ‘‘anybody but me would jist stamp the life out of you. But. where’s the odds, I mean to see you hanged, and I will before I have done with you, you may take your sath. Will you? just dotry to get up, that’s all; and be after laving that knife alone.” ‘The villain now gave up all attempts against Rafferty. He felt that he was thoroughly foiled; and closing his eyes, while he made his teeth nearly meet in his lower lip, with passion, he said nothing, but awaited quietly whatever might occur. Raf- ferty’s statement below had induced the people of the house to send for a constable, and now that official personage made his appearance at the door of Rafferty’s room. ** Halloa!” he said: ‘‘ what’s the row ?” ‘‘Nothing,” said Rafferty; ‘only that gentleman wants a little accommodation to-day in some jail or another.” ‘‘Oh, does he? Come, get up. Who is he?” ‘‘ Why, he’s the fellow that used this mighty nice little pocket: knife here.” “Oh! why—why—let me see; I think I know him.” ‘‘T wish you joy of the acquaintance then.” ‘‘No, no! I don’t mean that way. But I think I know he’s a desperate malefactor.” ‘*Oh, murder, what a discovery!” The officer took a printed handbill from his pocket and read, every now and then looking at the mendicant. ‘¢* Fifty pounds reward.—To whoever shall take and lodge in any of his Majesty’s jails a man, name unknown, who was com- mitted to prison on a charge of abduction, preferred by Mabel Morton. He is five feet eight inches in height, of a dark, yel- lowish complexion—squints—has: a scar over the left eyebrow.’ That’s him! Here’sa go! Ive caught him.” ‘‘ Well,” said Rafferty, ‘‘ that’s modest. You’ve caught him, have you? Pray how did-you catch him?” ‘Oh, come, come, you won’t chisel me out of my prisoner.” ‘Chisel you! By the holy, he’d soon have chiseled you if you had had to catch him; but we won’t quarrel about trifles. Take him away at once, and we'll be after settling who caught him some other time,” The officer looked mortified, for he knew well that it was Rafferty and not himself who was entitled to the reward, so he said, as he placed the handcuffs upon the prisoner— ‘“*T tell you what, Mr. what’s your name, we'll go halves. There, now, will that content you ”” ‘‘ Remarkably handsome it is,” said Rafferty. ‘‘ We'll spake about it another time.” . ‘‘ D——n you, then, take him to prison yourself.” “Very good, I can do that same; but mind me. There’s Cap- tain Morton that’s in my service is as intimate with the Secre- tary of State as you are with any blackguard of an acquaintance you may have; and if you don’t do your duty, and take this fel- comicbooks. com