The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE 141 with alarm at the appearance of the constables. ‘‘ Answer me in the king’s name.’ This summons made the affrighted girls aware of shin official position of the intruders; and so great was their terror that they were unable to answer the question put to them. The constables accordingly pushed through the shop into the house, and Mrs. Brace, hearing the sound of footsteps, came forth from her parlour to ascertain what was the matter. But the instant she beheld the visitors her conscience told her who they were and why they came; and, with a moan of ineffable anguish; she fell senseless at their feet. At the same moment the dog sprang toward her, and began barking as if at a known enemy; and Crawley had some difficulty in preventing the animal from snapping at the limbs of the motionless woman. Ordering one of his men to remain in charge of her, the officer descended the kitchen stairs, followed by the other two Bow Street runners whom he had brought with him, and likewise attended by the faithful dog. Entering the servants’ room, he ordered those whom he found there to hasten up to the parlour and ad- minister the necessary restoratives to their mistress; and the domestics, who saw full well that there was something wrong, lost no time in doing as they were commanded, but rather to obtain the speedy gratification of their curi- osity than through any particular affection for Mrs. Brace. We must leave the reader to imagine the mingled horror, surprise, and dismay which seized upon the domestics when | they heard the tremendous truth from the lips of the con- stable left in charge of the murderess. In the meantime we shall follow Mr. Crawley and his party to the back kitchen, whither they soon penetrated. The moment they set foot in that place, the dog Toby bounded forward and sip sniffing and whining around the central flagstone. “You see the instinct of that poor beast,’’ observed Crawley. ‘“‘ He knows his master is buried underneath, and he knew also just now that he owed some kind of a grudge to Mrs. Brace, for he would have certainly bit her if I had not drawn him off. Depend upon it, this here dog was a witness of the murder.’ ‘No doubt,”’ replied one of the subordinates; and pro- COMMUC OOO) “eS (G(O)