The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 343: what you’re looking at

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

THE SECRET CHAMBER 317 The next instant the Hangman, holding a loaded pistol in each hand, and his crowbar between his teeth, sprang forth, as if the same wild beast that had given the savage growl was now desperately turning upon its enemies. One of his weapons, aimed pointblank at Larry Sampson, fortunately flashed in the pan; the other, levelled at the carpenter, missed him by a hair’s breadth and lodged its bullet in the wainscot facing the door of the laboratory. Then, ere he had time to make any further attempt at resistance, or to achieve any real mischief, the ruffian, strong in his maddened fury though he were, was seized upon by the two runners and the carpenter, this last-mentioned individual threatening to strike him down with his hatchet if he did not surrender. At the same time Larry Sampson, utterly undismayed by the narrow escape his own life had just experienced, pointed a pistol toward the Hangman’s head, saying, with his wonted phlegmatic coolness, ‘ If you resist any further, you are a dead man.” It would be impossible to describe the horrible expression of rage and hate which now fastened, as it were, upon Daniel Coffin’s countenance, nor shall we sully our pages by record- ing the diabolic imprecation which rolled forth in a deep growl from his lips. Perceiving that resistance was indeed futile, he submitted to have the fetters and manacles, wherewith the Bow Street runners were ever provided, fastened upon his limbs, and then, so soon as he felt himself utterly powerless, he sank into a mood of dogged and ferocious sullenness. A hackney-coach was speedily fetched, and the formidable Daniel Coffin was conveyed to a place of security. One word of explanation relative to a particular incident, ere we conclude this chapter. The reader will remember that when the Hangman had discovered the secret spring, and had rushed with a joy so wildly exultant into the laboratory, the door had closed of its own accord behind him. This circumstance did not at the first moment trouble him at all, nor even attract his notice. His eye had caught sight of the huge lump of silver in the melting-pot, and all his thoughts were concentrated in the task of enveloping the treasure in his handkerchief and securing it about his person. But this done, he suddenly became aware of the horrifying fact that he was a prisoner. Vainly did he (C(O) nn) GDoOo <Si nin