The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 284: what you’re looking at

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

indeed appeared to be the proper haunt for such a miscreant as Vitriol Bob, and the fitting scone for 3ich a tragedy as the one which had been enacted there that night! In the middie of the kitchen she paused, and listened with breathless suspense. Jack Rily had just reached the bottom of the stairs leading thither: eVitriol Bob had only just begun to descend them. * Well, here is indeed a stiff ’un,” exclaimed the former, stopping short in the interval between the foot of the steps and tbe threshold of the kitchen. “What had he done to you, Bob?—and when did this happen?” “ Wait a moment—and I’ll tell you all about it,” was the reply. ‘I hope Poll has brought lots of grub—for the business hasn’t taken away my appe- tite.” She has got a basket with her,” said Jack Rily. At this moment Vitriol Bob reached the bottom of the stairs, when the Doctor sprang upon him with the sudden violenca of a savage monster; and the murderer was thrown back on the steps. “Treachery!” he exclaimed, in a tone resembling the subdued roar of a wild beast irritated by its keeper; and the two men were locked ina close embrace —a deadly struggle immediately com- mencing. A mortal terror struck to the heart of Mrs. Mortimer, who knew full well that if her cou- federate should succumb, her own life would not be worth 2 moment’s purchase; and for upwards of a minute she stood rivetted to the spot, listening to the sounds of the conflict which she could not see. Suddenly it struck her that she might aid her companion; and, taking from beneath her shawl a coil of rope with which she had intended to bind Torrens, whom she had made certain of subduing, she rushed to the scené of the struggle The gleam of light that reached that place, was sufficient, feeble though it were, to show her that Vitriol Bob had the advantage. He had succeeded in getting uppermost; and Jack Rily was strug- gling desperately underneath the man whose strength he had miscalculated. The conflict was thus progressing, accompanied by deep, low, but bitter execrations, when Mrs, Mortimer, whom a sense of danger suddenly restored to completo self- possession, threw a noose round Vitriol Bob’s neck, and instantly drow it tight,—~exclaiming, as she performed this rapid and well-executed feat, “Courage, Rily,-——- courage: grasp him firmly— loosen not your hold !’” “Damnation !” ejaculated Vitriol Bob, the moment ho felt the cord upon his neck and heard & Strange female voice,—at the same time making a desperate ~—nay, almost superhuman effort to tear himself away ‘from his foe and turn round on his new enemy. But the women drew the cord as tight as she “could, and a sense of faintness came suddenly over the murderer,—so that Jack Rily was in another instant enabled to get uppermost once more. “Tie his legs, old lady—and then we’ve nothing more to fear!” cried he, as he placed one knee on Vitriol Bob’s chest, and held the vanquished ruffian’s wrists firmly with the iron grasp of his sinewy hands. “Now, keep quiet, old fellow—or you'll be ' Strangled,” he continued, addressing himself to the wretch whose eyes glared savagely up at him even amidst the obscurity of the place: “it’s useless to THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON. 299 resist—you are my prisoner,—and if it’s necessary to make you safer still, I'll draw my clasp-knife across your throat—which I should be sorry to do, on account of old acquaintanceship.” “ What—what have I done to you—Jack—to—to deserve this?” gasped Vitriol Bob, half strangled with the noose, which, however, was now somewhat relaxed in consequence of Mrs. Mortimer being oc- cupied in tying the other end of the rope round his ankles—-a task which she performed with amazing skill and rapidity, and which, in consequence of Rily’s menaces, tho vanquished one did not think it -- prudent to resist. *T*Il tell you presently what you have dete, Bob,” said the Doctor, in answer to the other’s query. “ Now that you are bound neck and heels, you aro not very formidable; nevertheless, I must just make your arms secure—and then we'll hold a parley. Here, old lady—put your hand in the pocket on the right side of my coat, and give me out the cord you'll find there. That’s right! Come—be steady, Bob—or I shall do you a mischief yet.” The conqueror then proceeded to bind the wrists of the vanquished ; and when this was done, ho said, “Now, my fine fellow, I will just carry you into the kitchen; and if there is any brandy there, you shall have a drop to wash the dust out of your mouth.” With these words, Jack Rily raised Vitriol Bob in his arms, and bore him into the kitchen, where he placed him on achair; and the murderer now perceived for the first time that the female who had mainly contributed to his defeat, was the one whom himself and Torrens had robbed, Jack Rily, on examining the bottle which he found upon the table, discovered that there was plenty of liquor left init; and, filling atumbler, he placed it to the lips of Vitriol Bob, who greedily swallowed the contents--for his throat was indeed parched with the dust raised by the late strugglo and the semi-strangulation he had endured. ‘‘Now, my hyena friend —my tiger-cataccomplice,” said the Doctor, turning towards Mrs. Mortimer, who, exhausted in mind and body, had sunk into a chair, “you will likewise partake of the stimu- lant. And mark you, madam,” he added, with deep emphasis, and in a tone that was particularly re- assuring to the old woman, “I owe you my life— and, whatever my intentions concerning you origi- nally were, I can only now say that I'll do all that’s fair and honourable towards you. But enough of that: so, drink !”’ Mrs. Mortimer, greatly delighted at the result of the night’s expedition, smiled as cordially as her repulsive countenance would permit; but Jack Rily, surveyed her with much admiration, for she reminded him at the moment of ao pleased hyena after a copious meal, His satisfaction was enhanced by the readi- ness with which she tossed off the burning fluid; and, taking his turn with the brandy, he drank to her health. ‘Now to business once more!” he exclaimed, as he set the glass upon the table. “ And first, where’s the money, Bob?’ he demanded turning towards the helpless ruffian, who sat moody and scowling in the chair in which he bad been placed. **T suppose you mean to let me have my reglars, Jack?” he said, in a tone which he endeavoured to render as conciliatory and agreeable as possible. - Not a blessed halfpenny, Bob—and that’s flat,” responded the Doctor, as he plunged his handa into (C(O) DOO SS (SO)