Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 209: what you’re looking at

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

————— Oe SPRING-TIEEL’D JACK : to alleviate them is now my wish. Take these | few coins. He offered her’ Sotne money, which he took from his pocket ; but the old lady drew back. “Take them,” said’ Jack; ‘‘for I can well afford them. They may obtain’ vour daughter the necessaries she may require, and, with your permission, I will call upon you again in the course of a few days, when I hope to hear favourably of Miss Mildred’s condition.” The woman still hesitated, but Jack insisted, by forcing them into her hand. At this juncture Mildred opened her eyes, and perceiving her mother, cried— + yas mother ! mother ! what will become of us now ?” , “Test content,” said Jack: kindly, “ you shall be well cared for. I will go now and send the Was Keep a good heart, and all will yet be well.” He turned and hurried from the room ere the mother could inform the daughter of his gener- osity. — ‘He had no wish for thanks. He knew they would be grateful, and that was sufficient. He knew they were deserving, and he cared ‘to know no more. : When he reached the street he found the coachman still there, and, getting imside the vehicle, ordered him to drive to the house of a celebrated and fashionable physician, near Picca- dilly, adding— 3 “Tf you, then, charge me double fare for this journey, it will make up for the one you refuse to take for. I presume you have no objection to that ?” ‘Not the least,’ said the man, as he closed the door of the coach. “That's arum chap,” he added, as he mounted the box and gathered up the reins. “ I wonder whether he does know that gal, or whether he’s arter no good. ‘These swells ain’t particular, when they sees a pretty face, how they scrapes an acquaintance. There's something in everything. And sometimes I’m glad them gals of mine ain’t got much to boast of in the shape of good looks, for a pretty face is often the greatest curse a’ girlcan have. Ah! it’s a strange world, it is. Come up, will you?” This last was addressed to’ his horse, who made astumble, and at once put an end to his master’s soliloquy. The coach was not long in reaching its desti- nation, and Jack, leaping out, offered the driver not only double his fare but considerably more. / The man looked at the money, and then at ‘Jack. “Do you know what you have given me, sir?” he asked. “Perfectly well. Are you not satisfied?” replied Jack. “Tf I could get a fare like you every day, that old horse should have a little more rest than he does,” said the man, as he pocketed the coin. “ And all I can say is, that if you want to go anywhere else, I shall be glad to drive you for nothing.” ; «Thank you,” said Jack ; ‘but I have now no further need of your services.” And thank you, sir,” said the man. “ And I re THE TERROR OF LONDON. GOMLEDODIKS 211 hope, if ever you want a coach, and mine is about, you'll engage me.” ) “T shall. do so; for I prefer riding in a vehicle driven by.a civil man,” ‘said Jack. “So now, good night.” “Good night, sir,” said the driver ; “and I'll drink your health before I go much further.” Jack smiled, and bounded up the steps of the house. | To his loud summons an answer was imme- diately made by a youth attired in a tight- fitting green suit, covered with bright metal buttons, and who stood as upright as if he had been lashed to an iron bar. “The doctor’s engaged, sir, at present. | Will you please to step into this room?” ‘said the youth, opening a door that led out of the hall, and ushering our hero into a small apartment. ‘Will he be long, do you think? My busi- ness is urgent,” said Jack. | ‘¢T don’t know, but I'll go and ask,” said the youth. ‘Who shall I say?” “A gentleman. Stay !-here’s my card.” The boy took it, and left the room, closing the door after him. The apartment. was warm, and Jack imme- diately opened the door about a couple of inches, and sat down beside it. | In about a minute, three ill-clad, evil-looking men passed on tip-toe along the hall towards the street-door, preceded as silently by the page. Jack'peered out of the crack of the door, and observed that the page looked up and down the street. before he suffered the men to depart from the house, which they did, at a given sional, with great speed. “Humph!” said Jack. “Strange patients, those. I should like to know a little more about them.” | At this moment, with a smiling face, the doctor entered the room, and -Jack turned towards him. CHAPTER. LXXIII. THE BODY-SNATCHERS—THE DESECRATED GRAVE AND THE SCENE THEREAT., Havine stated his errand, and requested the doctor to attend upon the poor, unfortunate ballet-girl, Jack took his way from the house, anxious to learn who and what the strange cha- racters were whom he had seen let out of the place so stealthily by the page, while he sat gazing through the chink of the little room door. | ‘Doctor Potters is not the man to have such patients,” mused Jack, as the page closed the door behind him; ‘and their strange exit excites my curiosity to know more about them. Now, I would give something to know which way they went. To ask the page would not do, so L must trust to chance.” So muttering he turned to the right, and at a hurried pace continued for some distance along the street without seeing anything of the three men who had excited his curiosity. But upon arriving at the corner of the street, he happened to cast his eyes’ into the open door of a public-house, and there, regaling them-