The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 262: what you’re looking at

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

MOTHER BAMBRIDGE’S ESTABLISHMENT 245 made him stagger, and for an instant he was smitten with the idea that his arm was broken. All this, too, was but the work of a few instants, during which, however, either one of the officers might have shot the rufhan dead; but it was by no means their purpose to save the hangman his duty, unless at the last extremity in defence of their own lives. As for Barney the Burker, he dared not roar out for assistance, for fear of arousing the whole neighbourhood; but by hurling the chair at Meredith, he gained a moment’s time to do that which seemed to answer his own purpose equally well, for he seized hold of a cord, which passing through a hole in the celling hung against the wall, and a bell sent its clanging sound through the house. “It is useless for you to resist,’’ exclaimed Stanley, again rushing upon the villain just as he was about to tear open the door, and at the same instant Meredith seized upon him by the other arm, both now clinging to him with a desperate tenacity. And desperate too were the struggles of the rufhan, dia- bolically savage was the expression of his features, as he endeavoured to bite his assailants; and were it not that his ereat clumsy shoes were off, he would undoubtedly have broken their legs with the tremendous kicks that he dealt. And now there were the sounds of numerous persons rushing about the house; the door was burst open, and the four bullies whom the two adventurous officers had already seen beneath that roof rushed in. Lord Charles Meredith and Captain Stanley were in a moment overpowered by numbers, they were made prisoners, and now, as the only chance left of ensuring the capture of the Burker, they both shouted with all their might for assistance. Vainly did they en- deavour to release their arms from the grasp of the bullies that they might get at their pistols; they could not. The instant the Burker was freed, he rushed to the window, but beholding the chandler in the adjoining yard, he fancied that a trap was set for him in that direction, and he resolved to escape by the front door, for he felt assured that the whole neighbourhood would be quickly aroused. Snatching up his shoes, his cap, and his club, he darted from the room, rushed with the reckless brutal violence of a mad bull through the bevy of half-naked girls who were gathered in a fright on the landing, knocked down Mother Bambridge as CORNICE DOOKS (C(O)