Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

298 “Ah, me!” sighed the old lady. ‘I’m so sorry, for I am sure you would like me very much.” “Perhaps so, ma’am ; but I’m not very par- tial to old ladies.” “ Oh! you sly, funny man !” said Miss Frump, appearing to feel pleased, but, in reality, feeling as if she would like to pull his iron-gray- whis- kers out of his face. ‘‘I see you would like a young housekeeper. Perhaps you think of get- ting married ?”’ - Grasper frowned, and bit his lips impatiently. “Ah! I can see! I can see!” said Miss Frump. “Oh, youmen! What strange crea- tures you are, to be sure. So, you are really goine to get married, Mr. Grasper. I can tell by your blushes.” ‘‘Bah !” cried Grasper. “ And if I were, what of that ?” “You might still require someone to keep ‘house to the lady, young sir,” What lady ?” “What lady? There now. Why, you know you can confide in me,’ said Miss Frump, in a wheedling tone. “T have nothing to confide, nor anything further to say, than that you must excuse me, as I wish to be off to business.” — So pointed was the tone of Grasper, that the old lady could not pretend to misunderstand its meaning, and she rose from the seat she had taken unbidden, and moved towards the door. ‘*“1’m very sorry, [’m sure,” shesaid, ‘ that you do not require a housekeeper, or something of that sort, as I know I should suit you. I don’t chatter other people’s business, you know, as some do, I can keepa secret, and am not very particular.”’ Grasper had moved impatiently to the door, but paused suddenly, and looked the lady in the face, with a fixed and penetrating stare. ‘* You can keep a secret, can you? andare not over particular ?” ‘Bless you, I can do anything for a man I like.” 3 | ‘Suppose 1 were to offer you the charge of young woman, whose mind has been shattered from childhood, would you undertake to look to her—keep her from escaping from the house, and only heed her wild ravings as the source of a diseased brain ?”’ ‘‘T should be delighted with such a position,” ‘Could you take charge of her at your own house ?”’ Yes,” “And keep her both from the sight and hear- ing of your neighbours ?”’ said the merchant. ‘To be sure I could, and there’s nobody in the house but me.”’ “Then listen to me, Miss Frump. I have a young relative whose madness is of the strangest character, although there is nothing to fear from her, for she is gentle as a lamb, but the strange illusion under which she labours, is that her|h husband was a clerk, who committed suicide, and that I am the greatest enemy she has got in the world.” ‘* How strange! ” | ‘Very, is it not? Now, if I could be sure you would take care of her—not suffer her to SPRING-HEEL’D JACK : THE TERROR OF LONDON, leave the house, pay no heed to her words, and not tell anyone about her being with you, I might be induced to place her in your charge, and well reward you for your care and fidelity.” “You can trust me, Mr. Grasper, and I’m sure I would fulfil all your wishes to the letter, even if the person you speak of was not a rela- tion of yours, and only the wife of your guilty clerk, who committed snicide, and was buried at the cross-roads.”’ “ Ah!” cried Grasper, springing back. “Do you know Jane Slater ?”’ “Oh, dear, no!” said Miss Frump, with a peculiar look. “I only know a young woman who has sneered at the old maid named Miss Frump—the lady that is a mad relation of yours, and who it would be both my duty and my pleasure to keep from all eyes and all ears, but my respected employer, Mr. Grasper.” “‘Grasper glared at the woman before him for several moments. Then, laying his hand up- on her arm, he said, in a hissing whisper— “ Dare I trust you?” ‘You may,’ said the other, ‘‘ for I detest her. She jeered me upon my maidenhood, once, when I called her a chit to be a wife. I have not forgotten her sneers, and never shall.” “Enough,” said Grasper. ‘‘ Expect me to- night at your house, for you shall be revenged as well as I.” | CHAPTER CI. GRASPER AT WORK—THE ABDUCTION. Ir was nine o’elock at night, when a small, covered vehicle, driven by a man whose form was enveloped in a large cloak, and whose features were concealed by the broad brim of a slouched hat, pulled down low over his brows, drew up about twenty yards from the little cottage where Ellen Folder and Jane Slater resided. Throwing a horse-cloth over the back of the animal, the man dismounted from the box, and, opening the door of the carriage, gazed within it. It was empty ; and it was apparently to satisfy himself that such was the case that the man did so, for a growl of satisfaction eseaped his lips as he pushed the ‘door to again, after having closed up the blinds. | He took off his hat, and wiped his face with a white cambric ; and as the dim light fell upon his features, and the iron-grey hair that stood almost upright on his head, it revealed the countenance of Ralph Grasper. His features were paler than usual, and it was” evident that a nervous anxiety had taken posses- sion of him ; for, as his trembling hand passed over his brow, he cast half-fearful looks behind im. No one was about; and, after patting the animal’s neck in a coaxing manner, he replaced his hat, pulling it even lower down over his brows than before, and walked stealthily towards the cottage. Bn: | Standing before the little gate, he looked up (Elo) af 0 )(e)(@) <S.com