The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

——+ ——— 16 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. EAE EEE ee The lawyer, it would seem, watched cabby into the public-house, and saw him stop for a second or two and speak to a policeman. Flint’s heart leaped into his mouth ! “What if he suspects me!” thought the old lawyer. His resolution was taken immediately. He slipped out of the cab, and darted down one of the many, dirty dark and narrow streets that lead to the Seven Dials. Having gained this neighbourhood, he knew not for a moment which of the streets to turn down towards his abode, in Green Court, Strand. Ultimately the rattling of cab wheels startled him like a hare, With a quick step he trudged through the blind- ing rain, which now began to fall, and soon found himself in Drury Lane, With more courage than was his wont, he chose one of the numerous dirty, narrow side streets, Through the slush and half-putrid garbage he trudged, picking his way through the carts, barrows, baskets, and what not, belonging to a numerous family of “costers”’ abiding there, and soon found himself in Lincoln’s Inn Fields. With a fast beating pulse, he stood for a moment out of the rain under a doorway, and reflected on what he had better do next. “ Shall I go to my lodgings or to the office?” he thought. The rain abated a little, but it was still pitch dark. He crossed over towards the railings, and crept close to them on his way towards Carey Street. As he did so he distinctly perceived the figure of aman hurriedly gliding through the drizzling rain on the opposite side of the way, in the same direction as himself, For a moment Flint stopped, and allowed the man to go ahead of him. . This the unknown did, and was soon lost to view. In a few moments Flint resumed his quick walk towards his lodgings, situated in Green Court not far off ; but when about to turn down the court, he heard and saw some one violently pulling the bell at the very house in which he lived. He knew not who it was, but thought it wise to stop and listen, A neighbouring door was open in the court. This afforded him shelter, He peeped out, and soon perceived that the land- lady of his house opened the door, candle in hand. “Who do you want?” asked the landlady, in a sharp, cracked voice, and by no means gratified at being thus disturbed in her slumbers. ‘ Who do you want at this unnat’ral time o' night ?” ‘Does a Mr. Flint live here, ma’am ?” asked the stranger, politely. “Do you mean Old Flint?” asked the angry landlady ; “if so I understands yer ; but we doesn’t Bn OW any. Mister Flints here. What do yer want of him ?”’ * Oh, nothing in particular,” the stranger replied, only ——” “Well, then, if it’s nothing in partic’lar, why do yer come at this time o’ the mornin’ for ?” “Ts he in?” “No, he isn’t, and———” ‘Where is he, then? Has he lost anything ?”’ ‘How should Z know ; who do you take me for eh? I’m not his wife, nor mother neither ; the old miser can’t have lost much, I wouldn't give twopence in Green Court. better than a dust-hole, if he has any.” ‘ ‘He may have an object in living here,” said the stranger, in an emphatic manner. “ Well, it doesn’t matter for the present. Good night, I’m sorry for troubling you ; I shall call again.” The landlady slammed the door in the stranger's face, who slowly left the court. Flint, from his dark place of concealment, eyed the stranger as he passed. : | “Tt isn’t Warner,” he thought ; ‘ who canit be?” In a few moments he let himself into his lodgings with a latch-key. ; To his.no small amazement he found his own room door ajar. _ For a moment he hesitated what to do; but, at . last, thinking he had forgotten to shut it when he went out, he screwed up his resolution, and entered. Yet, as he did so, he kept muttering to himself, in the dark, ; . “Tt wasn’t Warner, yet who can it be?” As thus he whispered, an echo seemed to say to him, “ Who can it be?” As he sat in his dark room he felt cold shivers creeping all over him, “ Lost anything? What could he mean? Me lose anything? Not very likely, indeed ; no one knows what I have got hidden away in my office ; the old iron safe is crammed with one thing and another of value. What shall Idonow? pack up my papers and leave, or stop till morning? Morning,” he _ thought, ‘‘ perhaps Warner will be here before then.” | All this time Flint felt the cold shivers thrill through his very heart. He felt as if he was surrounded by ten thousand - devils, : Whichever way he cast his eyes in the darkness, he thought he saw Warner standing over the help- less body of the murdered Ford. He opened an old cupboard, and, from a bottle, took a hearty drink of gin. | . This, for a moment, seemed to cheer him; but still he felt his heart quaking with fear. The darkness of his little room seemed intolerable — to him, The very air seemed peopled with unclean spirits shouting ‘‘ Murder ! Mystery !” in his ears, His very soul seemed appalled, and he could have shouted out aloud with mental fright and anguish, He lit his lamp. He next turned towards his bed to seek for some- thing hidden beneath the clothes. Upon a sudden he started back with horror at what he saw. He gasped for breath. His eyes seemed to start from their sockets. His teeth chattered with fear. The whole of the veins in his face, hands and neck were swollen with horror. The lamp dropped from his hand upon the floor with a smash, In an instant the oil ignited in all directions around him, This he knew not at the moment, for his heart, soul and mind were deadened with fright and horror. He sankupon his knees with hands clasped before im ‘Oh, horrible !” he gasped, witha foaming mouth, and fell prostrate on the floor, I takes it his office ain’t much > j i for all he’s worth,” The sight he had seen, j w ‘ble— 3 d ** Hasn’t he an office somewhere, ma'am ?” hobrifying ! y aneeed Waar Perhaps he has, and perhaps he hasn’t ; but if A headless body lay gory and ghastly jn hi he has it can’t be worth much, or he wouldn't, live wy fi en ee Ye we ot NOTICE.—WNo. 3 will contain the Voyage to Italy, and the commencement of the Roy Soldier's | OE Ns OL Adventures. With Nos. 3 and 4@ will be GIVEN AWAY TWO HUMOROUS eral Le representing the Fenian Attack on, and Departure from, Canada. “HU SKciS) KSGOI <