Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

j : = «# a t 26 very little difference. ‘The blokes ain't twigged us ; so shut up, and we'll go snacks.” By the blokes Joe meant his companions at the bar of the Pigeon Flyers, who, after desul- tory glances at the bundle, as it hung suspended from the window, had turned again to their beer. “ Right you» are, Joe; but where will you slum it till to-morrow ?” ‘f Where I’ve put other things before.” ‘* Where’s that? ” ‘* In the vault.” ** The vault ?” “Yes, in the churchyard,” said Joe. “It’sa first-rate crib. No fear of its being overhauled. Ah, I forgot, you don’t knowit. I'll show it you, if you like to come.” “A vault in a churchyard?” said Tommy, qui just a perceptible shudder pervading lis orm. ‘* Yes, in Whitechapel churchyard.” ‘* But how can you get in ?” “ Why, there’s a rail loose on the left-hand side of the gate ; I lift that up, and then I goes to the vault that’s got a little black door in the middle of the brickwork. It’s never fastened, but shuts close to. Oh, it’s a stunning place to.slum anything it is; but keep it dark.’’ ‘Yes, yes,” said Tommy. ‘ But ain’t you frightened ?” * Frightened of what ?” ** The ghosts.” “ Ghosts, I should like to see the ghost as could frighten me,” said Joe, with a contemptuous curl of the lip. “You ain’t seen one, but you might,” said Tommy, | | “Go on, there ain’t none, and if there was they wouldn’t frighten me in a hurry,” “You don’t know !” Ved “Don’t 1?” said Joe. “I should just like to seé one there to-night, ’d show it what sort of flesh and blood Joe Filcher is made on, I would.” “ Will you go there to-night 2?” *Ves—will you come? and [ll show you the erib—it’s a first-rate slum.” _** No, Td rather not.” “You ain’t half a chap,” said Joe, contemp- tuously ; “ but there, I'll go by myself, and you go back to the Flyers. Mum you know, and if anybody asks for me, say I’ve gone home.” “All right!” said Tommy. “ No fiddling!” “Selp me tater! Now what do you take me for?” said Joe. | ~ Allright, then, shares in the morning.” ‘* As true as honour.” “Good night, then, only mind the ghosts,” said Tommy, as he turned away to seek the bar of the Pigeon Flyers.” Joe Filcher watched him till he had entered the beerhouse, and then gathered up the skirt tightly in his hands, and turned away in the opposite direction, muttering, half aloud— — | “ The snivelling cur to be frightened of ghosts! Bah! I should just like to see one to-night in the vanlt—I just should, that’s all!” A tall, gentlemanly figure passed him with a hurried step, and ‘as he drew his long Spanish cloak closer over his form, said with a smile. in | a subdued tone— ; — awn eo C—O Ci t™”™~”s a el ———e ewe ee ee SPRING-HEEL’D JACK: THE TERROR OF LONDON. “Your courage may be put to the test, my fine fellow. The railing to the left of the gate is loose. The vault used as a receptacle for | stolen goods is formed of brick, with a small black door. Ah! ah! we may meet there, my | friend—brave friend, I should have said—meet there, and at midnight.” As he hurried along before Joe, the clocks of «| the churches in the neighbourhood chimed the | half-hour after eleven. Mwelve o'clock had struck, and as its echoes died away, a tall figure forced its way through the door of a brick-built vault in Whitechapel churchyard. It was the same figure which we have noticed pass Joe Filcher on his way to the same place — to hide the poor seamstress’s bundle, till he could take it to Blodger’s fence, which it would not have been prudent for him to have done that night and at that hour, as the reputed dolly- shop—more than suspected of being what it really was—was being already closely watched by the officers. Having effected an entrance into the vault Spring-heeled Jack—for he it was—struck a light with a phosphorous match, and looked around the gloomy place. | | ‘“Humph!” he muttered, as the match burned out, and left the vault again in Stygian darkness. “This is not a very inviting place. It’s cold enough, dark enough, and damp enough to strike terror to the heart, and chill the blood in aman’s veins, without the knowledge that human beings are festering in their shrouds at his side. Ugh! the place makes me shudder; yet why should it? What harm can there be in a corpse ? None, From the living there is much more to — fear, ay, much more. But I forget the purpose for which [ came hither.” F | He took off his cloak, turned it, and drawing , a hideous mask from his pocket, placed i¢ on his | face. "AS | Then he groped his way to where he had seen a coffin standing on a pair of tressels, and placing ‘4 his hand upon the lid, vaulted up and sat upon 7 the last home of the dead, ; ‘‘ Now let the rascal come,” he said, “and he — shall receive the reward of his villainy. He must be a daring scoundrel to desecrate the resting-place of the dead, and make the grave a receptacle for his plunder ; but coutageous as he eco to be, his courage shall fail him to- night !” | Jack, when he emerged from the pigeon- dormer on to the roof, had looked down into the street and heard the conversation of Joe and his companion, and saw the theft Gommitted on the seamstress’s hidden work. Disgusted at the act, he resolved to give them a fright, but upon Joe mentioning his intention | of seeking the churchyard, our hero resolved to defer his purpose till that worthy should be within the precincts of his hiding-place. lhe moments flew by, and Jack listened intently for the footfall of Joe, but no sound broke the stillness. | 4 ITe began to fear that the ruffian would Wét make his appearance, and not much relishing. his own situation, he had placed his hand to his i ee re ee _ “— 4. ebook mn co