The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 259: what you’re looking at

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ing. 242 which the clouds seemed laden, burst not forth— and still from between the black masses piled one above another on the face of heaven, the straggling rays of the moon peeped timidly forth. The wind had risen to asomewhat higher key—and the air was intensely cold: but the ruffians, heated as they were with brandy and excited by the object which they had in view, felt not its chilling influence. Silepély they now pursued their way, the Magsman soting ag captain and as guide; and as those six fosms moved from the bottom of the Punch-Bow]l towards the acclivity on the summit of which the main read ran, they appeared to be fiends of darkness fg the faint and uncertain light of the moon. On gaining the top, or brim, of the vast hollow, the party was divided into two sections. Miles the Buzgloak, Dick the Tramper, arid the Kinchin- Grand were ordered by the Magsman to conceal themes] ves amidst the furze which the low embankment over- laoked; while Joe Warren himself, accompanied by the two men completing the bend, crossed the road and ascended the portion of the hill which cem- manded tne route. Being thus disposed of, the ruffians lay in wait patiently and silently. At length the rumbling of wheels and the noise of horses’ hoofs met their cage. They all listened at- tentively: the sounds came from that quarter whence they were expectod ;—and there could be no doubt that this was the vehicle whose presence was the ob- ject of the night's adventure. In a few moments two lights, glancing like meteors began to emerge as it were from the obscurity ; and the progress of the carriage along the road on the brim of the Punch-Bow! was thus marked by its lanterns, On came the vehiole: and now it was near enough for the ruffians who lay in ambush, te observe that it | li was a long hearse-like concern, drawn by four horege, and with the driver seated on a high box in front. An escort of four dragoons guarded the ponderous machine—two riding on one side, and two on the er. - In this manner the cavalcade was along, when, all on a sudden, the Magsman leapt from the overhanging hill upon the roof of the vehicle; and, hurling tbe driver from his seat into the middle of the road, he sprang upon the back ef one of the wheel-horses, and cut all the traces in a moment. At the same instant that the Mageman thus took the initiative, his two companions threw themeelves from the overhanging eminence upon the couple of dragoons who rode on that side of the vehicle: while the two mounted soldiers riding on the other side wexe as suddenly assailed by the Busgloak, the Tram- per, and the Kinchin-Grand. Shota were fired—and a severe oonfliet took place. Away sped the four horses which the Magsman had freed from the vehicle: frightened by the report of the pistols, they galloped along the road, their thun- dering hoofs raising every echo in that vast abyss the brim of which the terrified animals were thus madly p | e But all that we have as yet deseribed k of scarcely f Sings of Magsman were executed with wondrous ms cut the traces and thus rendered the vehicle stationary by emancipating the herses, this desperate individual passed like Hg underneath the ponderous machine; and with one blow of his rapidity. = & minute; and the proceedings of the | fleoti TRE MYSTERI BS. club he knocked off a massive padlock which fastened a door at the Sack of the huge hearse-like cafriage. The vehicle instantaneously vomited forth its con- tents in the shape of a dozen convicts, heavily ironed ; and amidst the very foremost, the Magsman had the satisfaction of recognising, by the flickering moon- light, the eountonanose of his friends Briggs and the Big Moagtime the four dragoons and the five villains opposed te them had maintained a desperate struggle on ether side ef the vehicles but the release of the eonvists desided tha fortane of the fray in a very few moments, The ealdiers were made prisoners without any loss of life) end they, as well as the driver of the van, were bound ggcurely with strong cords and deposited, powerless, beneath the overhanging hill. Then, in the sheer apirit of wanton mischief, the whole gang ef desperadoes—liberatore as wel] as con- victs—seized wpom the carriage—wheeled it te the edge of the Punch-Bewl—sod hurled it over the low embankment into the abyes. Down—down thundered the machine, volling over and over with eoncuteions that sounded like the sharp end successive reports of a briek cannonade: down—down it went, tearing away furge, brambles, and rank ultimately dashing to pieces at the bottom of the Panch-Dowl Satisfied with the werk of destructien, and taunt- ingly wishing the four dragoone and the driver a good night, the party hastened away frem the ecene of this exploit; and heving gained 9 neighbouriag wood, the Mageman produced a quantity of files and pick-locks from one ef his capacious pockete, By means of these implements the convicts soon removed their fotters; and we need hardly observe that great was their joy at this triumphant and unexpected de- verance—for not evee the and Briggs had been previously aware of their friends’ determi- uation to attempt their rescue, CHAPTER LXIX. PAULINE AND GABRIEL, It was eleven o'clock on Sunday morning; and Pauline Clarendon was seated alone in a small par- lour at the house which her father had taken about five weeks previously in Cavendish Square, The young lady was dreseed in an elegant but un- assuming style; and the dark oolour of her gown eet off to the utmost advantage her pure and stainless complexion. Her deep brown hair, so rich with its natural gloss, ehowered in a myriad ringlets over her well-shaped shoulders; and her neck, grandly white and gently arching, resembled a polished ivary pillar against that flood of luxuriant curls which swept her Upon her countenance a soft melancholy rested : and, although the light of heaven appeared to illume the depths of her eloquent bine eyes, yet her features expressed a certain pensiveness which imparted te her entire appearance an ineffably charming air of re- ve sweetness. From the reverie into which the lovely girl had fallen, she was presently aroused by a double knoekr at the front door; and starting frem her seat, she threw a glance at the mirror over the mantel-pieee. A smile of satisfaction played for a moment upon S COMGLOO