Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

ee Bristles started, but recovering’ himself on the | instant, he said— | “A “Ha! I thought I knowed-you, Jack.” | “ And, of course, knowing me, you will do your duty ?” said our hero. “ What's that ?” “Take me into custody.” ‘Take you ?” “Yes.” 2 “Nota bit of it. There’s a good many men in the force would be glad of the chance, but Bobby Bristles is not one of them You have given me a couple of frights, but I forgive you for em. But what’s up here? ”’ ‘A poor devil had a fall and hurt himself, it seems,” replied Jack. Bristles laid his hand on Jack’s arm. A fall,” he said, “ ora throw?” Well, I will admit that I pitched him out of _ the cart, but the rascal deserved it. Together with an old man, who now lies insensible in the vehicle, he sought to carry off a poor sane girl to | alunatic asylum. Her cries for aid brought me | to her side, a struggle ensued, and here’s the effects of it.” _ Where’s the girl ?” “Fled, of course.” “Do you think he’s hurt ? ” “Stunned, perhaps ; nothing more.” s Bristles stooped.over the man, and shook his | head; then rising, he said— = “Jack, help me to lift him into the cart. I must take him to the station, and then you had better make yourself scarce. It won’t be-safe or you, even if you did it in self-defence. Take | . my advice, and move on.” _ “Thank you,” said Jack ; “ but had you not better take him to the hospital ?” “Wo, I’m not supposed to know he’s hurt,” | said Bristles. “Of course not.” . | | - Jack aided the officer to place Blodger beside the old miser, who continued. in the swoon, brought on either by the blow he had received from the whip, or chagrin at the escape of Martha. | _ * Now, you be off, Jack,” said Bristles, “for there'll be another of our men here directly.” “T will take your advice; but first tell me, did you marry that girl who lost her situation through you ?” Ti | ‘Marry her?” said the policeman, ‘ She’s | Mrs, Bristles now, bless her little heart.” | And the gardener, what ofhim?” asked Jack. “Got a month for being where he had no right to be, and consequently lost his place, and the confidence of the Misses Snooks.’’ ©“ That’s rather hard; but Mrs. Bristles was avenged,” laughed Jack. | “ So she was, sir, first-rate. Eh! they losta good servant, they did, when they lost my | e 45 : . : eX they missed that cat, too, didn’t they ?” said Jack, slyly. - “Move on,” said Bristles. feelings, upon my soul, you do.” © Ha! ha!” laughed Jack. ‘ Well, if you’ve | gota good wife I’m glad to hear it, and wish you l earthly happiness. Here’s a sovereign to buy hér a new bonnet, ” ~ “You hurt my 8PRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. “Move on,” said Bristles, with pretende@ offended dignity, and turned his back to our hero as he did so. Jack was about to request him to accept the coin, when he perceived Bristles had placed his open hand behind him. Our hero dropped the coin into his palm, and the officer’s fingers closed over it in an instant. ‘‘ We are forbidden to accept anything, sir,” he said ; “but, of course, if it’s forced upon us, we can’t help it,” ‘Of course not,’ said Jack. ‘Now, don’t forget the traces are cut, and you will have to lead the animal.” “All right, sir. Good night! my sergeant, so please to move on.” “Quickly,” said Jack, as the measured foot- fall of a policeman smote his ears. In another minute our hero had cleared the bridge, and stood within the shadow of that ancient pile where the tombs of the great, the brave, and the learned mark the last resting- place of men whose names are emblazoned on history’s scroll in letters of gold. Here comes _——y CHAPTER LI. THE ATTEMPT TO DESTROY THE CHEQUE DEFEATED —THE STRANGE LOSS. WITH a deep sigh, the poor wife of the-forger and suicide awoke to consciousness—awoke to the real truth of her position. Better would it have been had that lethargy never worn oft—better that death had come to ease her of her sufferings, and still for ever the heart of her who never more would know peace in this world. Her existence was completely blighted, and she cared not what became cf her. Still little more than a girl in years, she had known more misery in a few short months than fall to the life-time of thousands, | When she opened her eyes, they rested not only upon the faces of the two officers, but upon several, and two gentlemen of the medical pro- fession, who had been called in to view the body of her husband. For a moment or two she gazed with a be- wildered look upon those assembled in the little parlour, then, as the whole truth flashed upon her brain, she sobbed aloud. Looks of pity and commiseration were fixed upon her, and those men, used to scenes of misery and crime, spoke in husky voices to each other. The human heart is not altogether callous, as could be proved by the wet eye of more than one present. Though emissaries of the law, they were men, and felt as such. “Come, come,” said one, who by his dress be- spoke himself an inspector of the police ; “you must not give way like this. Of course, you are pained by the unfortunate circumstances of the night, but you must be wise. If you go on in this manner you will lay yourself on a sick bed, and perhaps kill yourself.” . ' “ Why did they not let me do it?” she eried ; “T don’t want to live now that he has gone.” “Tt is wrong to talk thus, my poor woman. | Remember that it is wicked to contemplate such a ‘ . . ~ — a Re Ee i et es eee : - 147 | IOO iS Gomie (EC)