The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 389: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXXI THE FAIR STRANGER THe thought which thus suddenly arrested the steps of the Buttoner and transfixed him to the spot was that Nell Gibson had betrayed the murderous project to the baronet. Our readers will remember a certain conversation which took place a fortnight previously to the present date of our story between Bencull and the Hangman relative to the employment of Nell Gibson to lead Larry Sampson into a trap. It will likewise be borne in mind that ‘to make sure doubly sure,’’ in a scheme of so dangerous and delicate a character, they had resolved to plant the Buttoner as a spy upon Nell Gibson’s actions. Being well provided with cash and good clothes, the Buttoner had found these proofs of prosperity to be immediate passports to the favour of Miss Gibson; and he accordingly took up his abode with her at Mrs. Young’s delectable establishment in Bermondsey. He and Nell were therefore living as husband and wife together; and we have already shown how it was that they happened to be at the hut near Shooter’s Hill on the night of which we are writing. Now, be it observed that the Buttoner was expressly employed and also bribed by Bencull and the Hangman to watch Nell Gibson’s conduct. This circumstance was alone sufficient to render him far more susceptible of misgiving than he otherwise would have been, and more liable to entertain suspicion at the slightest appearance of anything mysterious or sinister. Thus, when he suddenly recollected how Nell Gibson had started, and how strange she had looked for a moment, when he mentioned the baronet’s name to her, he was struck by the idea that she had played the traitress. 367 (COMMU 6)(6)(0) CS. (©) im