The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 317: what you’re looking at

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re THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. sides, dead men tell notales—and since he has seen all our precious faces and would have no trouble in recognising us again, it’s much better to give him his gruel.” “Who is he?” asked Nell Gibson. “ Do you know his name? Because if he happens to be any great person, there would be such a precious piece of work that no stone would be left unturned till his fate was discovered.” ‘“To be sure I know who he is,” returned the Buttoner. “ You don’t think I should have been fool enough to let him seal up that there letter afore I read it through? But I say, Nell, you don’t object to having this swell cove made away with—do ye ?” * Not I indeed,” returned this young woman who beneath a handsome exterior concealed the implacable and remorseless spirit ofa fiend. “ And even supposing I did object, I know very well that if Bencull has once made up his mind, neither heaven nor earth could move him to the contrary.” “Well, he has then, I can tell you,” returned the Buttoner: “for although not a word has passed our lips on the subject, yet me and him and the Durrynacker and Mushroon Faker, have settled the pint with our looks.” TI suppose you will wait till I come back to- mor- row to say whether I have got the money or not?” observed Nell Gibson. “There’s no use waiting at all,” answered the Buttoner. Whether he’s alive or dead at eight o’clock to-morrow morning, won’t make no differ- ence in your getting the money: and as for stick- ing a knife in a feller in cold blood during the day- time, 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 havn’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,” an- swered 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 off-hand 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 But- toner. “I shouldn’t like for us all to have to set upon him while he’s awake, and so massacre him as one may say. IL 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 tell-tale 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 ee 303 | have a bedroom, such as it is?”’ said Nell Gibson. “Or I tell you what,” she added, a thought sud- denly appearing to strike her, “if you like I'll go downstairs and invite him to come up here.” * Well, do so if you fancy you'll succeed,” re- plied 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, The moment she made her appearance in the lower apartment, she threw a rapid look of intelli- gence upon Bencull, the Durrynacker, and the Mushroom Faker, who were boozing at one table, while she advanced towards the Baronet who was still seated at the other. The three villains under- stood by this look that she had some project in hand; and they therefore affected to take no par- ticular notice of her. ‘This was precisely what she wanted: her object was to divert their atteution, or at all events cause them to look aside for a mo- ment, while she had an opportunity of making a sign of intelligence to the Baronet. Indeed, had she not by such a sign enjoined him to hold his peace, an exclamation of astonishment would have burst from his lips: for Nell Gibson was indeed no stranger to him—and he had instantaneously re- cognised her! Yes—her form was fuller and grosser, her looks were bolder, and her mien was more brazen than when he saw her last: nevertheless, he failed not to recognise in an instant that countenance which he had once admired, and that form whose virgin charms had been despoiled by him! The ejaculation, then, of amazement which was about to burst forth, died upon his lips as he caught that signal which she made him: and instantly per- ceiving by her manner that she had in view some purpose which she wished to conceal from the ruf- fians at the other end of the room, he suddenly as- sumed an air of perfect composure, so as not to betray that any secret intelligence existed between them. “ You are sure, sir,” she said, holding up the letter, “ that this document will meet with proper attention to-morrow morning ¢” “T am certain of it,” he replied. “The men who brought me hither, overheard the instructions which I gave to my servants ere they departed with the carrilage——” But while Sir Douglas Huntingdon was thus, speaking, Nell Gibson said in a low rapid whisper, “ Fly hence, I conjure you f’ Startling as these words were, inasmuch as they revealed to him jn a moment all the dangers of his position, he nevertheless had the presence of mind to continue speaking the sentence which we have recorded ;—and thus his voice drowned the whispered accents of the female. ‘Well, sir,’ she said aloud, as if in answer to the observation which he had made,—“ I do hope that it will not be a wild-goose chase that I shall have to- morrow morning. And now, sir, as you have got to stay here all night, | am sent to propose that you walk up-stairs and lie down.” But as she thus spoke, she gave a slight and just perceptible shake of the head, as much as to tell him xo¢ to accept her offer. “Thank you, young woman,” he said aloud, with a look which showed that he not only experienced _——_—— ee CONnnICLOOOKS (CO)