The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 384: what you’re looking at

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

362 THE COURT OF LONDON “Whether he’s alive or dead at eight o’clock to-morrow morning won’t make no difference in your getting the money; and as for sticking a knife in a feller in cold blood during the daytime, I raly couldn’t do it. It’s all wery well at night, when one has had plenty of lush to make one plucky — ”’ ‘Well, you know best, and it’s quite the same to me,” interrupted Nell Gibson, with a yawn. “ But, after all, you haven’t told me what his name is,”’ she observed, carelessly, as she turned the letter over and over in her hand. ‘Douglas Huntingdon the signature is,’”’ answered the Buttoner. ‘‘ But what’s the matter, Nell? ’” he demanded, as she suddenly dropped the letter on the floor. ‘Nothing. Why do you ask?” she inquired, stooping down to pick up the letter. Then, having done so, she looked up in the Buttoner’s face, saying, ‘‘ Why did you ask me that question, I repeat? ”’ ‘“‘ Because I thought you started and looked queer all of a sudden,”’ was the response. “Not I indeed,’ she observed, in an offhand manner, as she steadily met the keen, searching gaze which the Buttoner fixed upon her for a few moments. ‘ Do you think he suspects he is in any danger? ”’ she asked; ‘ because if so it would be well to lull him into security.” ‘“That’s just what I want,’’ responded the Buttoner. ‘“‘ T shouldn’t like for us all to have to set upon him while’s he awake, and so massacre him, as one may say. I had much rayther that he would lie down and go to sleep, and then we could do his business all quiet and comfortable without leaving no telltale stains about the place. In fact, I told him just now that I would come up-stairs and see what accommodation my young woman could make for him.”’ ‘Well, why don’t you go and tell him he can have a bed- room, such as it is? ’’ said Nell Gibson. ‘‘ Or I tell you what,” she added, a thought suddenly appearing to strike her, “if you like I’ll go down-staire and invite him to come up here.”’ ‘‘ Well, do so if you fancy you'll succeed,’’ replied the Buttoner. ‘‘ There’s no harm in trying it on.”’ ‘No harm at all,’”’ echoed Nell Gibson; and with this observation she descended to the room below, the Buttoner remaining up-stairs. CONMIE OOKS (E(0)