The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 287: what you’re looking at

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274 THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. them as one may say step by step, from the mo- ment they plan a crime till the instant it is com- pleted—brings the whole mass of evidence to burst like a storm around them—and sends them to the scaffold at iast! Don't you see this constantly being done, I say ?—and isn’t it often a matter of wonder how Larry dees contrive to bring things home to people? Well then, now it ceases to be a matter of wonder, after all that I have seen and learnt to-day.” The Hangman then proceeded to inform his friend Bencull how he had penetrated inte Larry Sampson’s private apartment, and how he had be- held there all the costumes and other accessories for an infinite variety of complete disguises, Ben- cull was as much amazed and as thoroughly petri- fied with wonder at hearing this recital, as Coffin himse)f had been when first entering that myste- rious apartment at Sampson’s house. Indeed, seve- ral minutes elapsed ere Bencull could recover in the slightest degree from that stupor into whick he was thus plunged. “Well, there is one thing I can’t understand,” he said at length, when he had Ughted another pipe and taken: a few whiffs. “How was it that within an hour after Larry Sampson e#oaped from the ditch behind this house, he did not have you and me and all the others taken up and lodged in Newgate at once ?” “Oh! I can understand his reason full well,” returned the Hangman. “ You was one of the party that did that job with the Prince and Mar- quis of Leveson at Beechy Manor—” “Well, what of that?” exclaimed Bencull. “ Only that Larry Sampson, as it appears by his book, was employed to sift that affair to the bot- tom,” continued Daniel Coffin; “and the better to follow out his researches, he took the disguise of a koife-grinder—first go down to Richmond to make inquiries there, then coming down here. Now, if he had handed us all over to justice, he would have had to say why he came to the dark crib, so as to make out hfs tale :—and that would have been to tell on what special service he was engaged at the time, and consequently to pro- claim to the whole world what had happened to the Prince and the Marquis of Leveson on a cer- tain memorable night. But as neither the Prince nor the Marquis wanted it known at all,—bnt on the contrary, had certain reasons of their own for wishing it to be kept deuced quiet,—Larry Samp- son thoughtit best to hold his peace about his ad- ventare down here.” “Well, all this may be likely enough,” said Ben- eull: “ bat still it’s quite clear that Larry knows a ‘great deal more than is convenient. And now I recollect, the night when he was down here dis- guised as a knife-grinder, he went up-stairs and saw old Jeremy Hampage——” “ Well, weil,” interrupted the Hangman: * never mind anything about the details of what happened on that particular night. What we have chiefly to think about at present, is whether we are to take any step to insure oar safety for the fature.” “In what way?” asked Bencuil, with that kind of ominously significant look which showed that he had caught an inkling of the idea then uppermost in the Hangman’s mind. “Come, speak out, ~ Dan’el: you and me are old pals, and can trast | each other.” “Then my mind is made up as to Larry Samp- son,” answered Coffin. “It’s quite clear that no business is to be done in future with any degree of safety, as long as Larry is alive. He has got a halter round your neck—and round the necks of all our pals and confederates—and he won't be long before he gets one round my neck again also. And when it is Sonsidered that he can pull these halters tight at any moment he chooses, by Satan ! to make away with such a fellow would be conferring a bless- ing on the whole fraternity.” “You and me, Dan’el,” observed Bencull, jerk- ing his pipe towards the back ot the house,“ have shoved out more than one stiff’an into the black ditch; and therefore I don’t see why we should hesitate in making a croaker of Mr. Larry Sa pson.” ®T> be sure not--and it shall be done” cried the Hangman. “But we must also take measures to get possession of his book at the same time that we do his business for him: or else, if that great volume fell into the hands of another officer, it would soon put him into the right way of becoming as knowing—and consequently as dangerous as Larry Sampéon himself.” “ Well, have you got any scheme in your head t” demanded Bencull. ‘“ Lacry Sampeon must be enticed down here,” said the Hangman, “by some means or another; and while you and two or three of our most trust- worthy pals are doing his business for him, I will call at his house in Long Acre on some pretence and get possession of the great book,” * Well and good,” said Bencull. “Bunt how the deuce do you hope to entice Larry to trust himaelf again in the dark crib?” “ Cunning as he is, let us seo if we can’t be more cunning still What think you of planting some woman upon him to make him believe that through revenge she wants to betray a echeme in which her flash man is engaged? This looks so devilish nat’ral, ff we could only get a blowen of the night sort to carry it out.” “ What say you to Nell Gibson?” demanded Ben- call. “She's the most artfullest gal which I ever happened te be acquainted with—besides which, she’s got such a way of looking so precious innocent and sincere when she’s really plotting the deepest mus- chief” © Yes—we'll make use of Nell Gibson in this mat- ter. But are you quite sure that Nell is the most trustworthy young woman that we could employ in the matter? You know her better than I do.” “ Why, my maxim always is never to trust any woman farther than you can see her,” replied Ben- cull: “and therefore it’s my advice that while set- ting Nell Gibson to work against Larry Sampson, we should also set somebody to watch Nell Gibson.” ‘‘ A very capital plan of your’s, old fellow,” observed the Hangman. “ And now, taking it for granted that Nell Gibson will embark in this business, who shall we plant in turn upon her ft” “ Well, of all covies that ever come to this house,” answered Bencull, after a few moments’ reflection, “that Battoner, or thimble-rig feller, is the downiest. Besides which, he’s been rayther sweet upon Nell Gibson for some time past: but Nell won't have no- thing to say to him because he's down in hia luck, and hasn’t done over well Istcly. If we was only to rig him out with new toggery from head to foot—give RE oe Ea Ee ECOMICHOOKS.CO