The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

14 THE COURT OF LONDON the baronet — and there’s no saying how he may find means of sending him notice of what’s going on, should we fail in capturing the villain to-night.” ‘“ All right,” returned the officers, and away they went in company with Page, whose sense of duty toward society was. wonderfully sharpened by the reward offered for the appre- hension of Sir Richard Stamford. Close by there was a hackney-coach stand, and the com- mercial traveller walked straight up to the water man, and put. a crown into his hand, saying, ‘‘ My good fellow, a gentleman in a cloak took a vehicle here a few minutes ago — I am sure he did; now, where did he order the driver to take him? ” ‘“ All right, sir — Edgeware Road,” replied the waterman, joyfully pocketing the welcome gift. “’Twas a yaller jarvey — ”’ ‘““ Look alive, then!” interrupted the active Mr. Page, as he sprang into a coach, the door of which he hastily opened himself; and the constables having tumbled in after him, he exclaimed, ‘‘ Edgeware Road — and a guinea for the Jarvey if he catches up the other vehicle.” This exciting promise was instantaneously communicated to the driver by the waterman, who in equally succinct terms gave such information as enabled that functionary to com- prehend which coach it was that was now to be pursued; and away went the equipage at a rattling pace. “Tt wasn’t a bad dodge of mine to commence inquiries at: the coach-stand,” observed Mr. Page to the constables, as they rolled along toward Oxford Street; ‘‘ for may I be hanged if I knew what direction the fugitive took when he quitted the hotel.” “Oh! then he was at the George — eh? ”’ exclaimed one of the constables; and turning to his comrade, he said, “‘ So you see our information was right, Bill, arter all. But how was it, sir,” he continued, again addressing himself to Page, ‘“ that you didn’t collar him, if so be you twigged him there? ”’ ‘T can assure you that my palms itched to clutch him,”’ replied the commercial traveller; ‘‘ but I wasn’t certain that he was really the man, and I was fearful of getting myself into a scrape by seizing the wrong one. Assault, battery, false imprisonment, defamation, and all that sort of thing, you know, kept rising up in my mind and restraining my arm.” COMICMOOOKSa