The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 261: what you’re looking at

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

244 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ' He thrust up the sash a little higher, and was now enabled to reach the back of the chair on which the pistols lay. Lifting the chair completely up, he set it gently down again close within the window, and removing the pistols thence consigned them to the pocket of his paletot. Then he beck- oned Lord Charles Meredith, who attentively and anxiously watched his proceedings, to ascend the ladder. le The sash was raised yet a little higher, and still the man slept on as if he were under the influence of liquor. Stanley passed into the room, but the cord of the blind getting en- tangled around his foot made him stumble against the chair. The man sprang up from the bed like a wild beast suddenly awakened from its lair, and the first glimpse of his counte- nance convinced Stanley that he was now confronted by none other than the terrible Burker himself. The ruffian glanced toward the chair with the evident inten- tion of snatching up his pistols, and perceiving they were gone, a cry of savage rage, like that of a hyena, burst from his lips. Captain Stanley drew forth a pistol, presented it at the Burker’s head, and bade him surrender or he was a dead man. But with the sudden fury of the wild beast unto whose howling cry we just now likened that of the ruffian, he sprang upon Stanley, hurled him upon the floor, seized the pistol from his grasp, and was on the very point of discharging its contents at his head, when his arm was caught in a powerful erasp, the weapon was wrested from him, and he himself in his turn was hurled upon the floor. All this was the work of a few seconds, and we need hardly inform the reader that it was Lord Charles Meredith who, springing into the room, thus’ saved the life of his adventurous friend. The very instant that the Burker was thus levelled, Lord Charles Meredith’s knee was upon his chest, and the threat was repeated that he must surrender or have his brains blown out. But the two officers had to deal with a man of the most desperate and determined character, —a man, too, who possessed the brute strength and courage of a lion. Hurling Meredith off him, he rose as far as his knees, when he was assailed by Stanley, whom he likewise dashed away, and then snatching up a chair, he hurled it with all his force at the head of Meredith, who was returning to the assault. The nobleman, however, darted sufficiently aside to save his head, and received the blow upon his shoulder, but it CONNIE NO KS m