The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 392: what you’re looking at

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

SHOOTER’S HILL 361 so as to deliver that letter by eight or nine o’clock, and make sure of the money. Not that it matters much, so far as the swell cove hisself is concerned, for we don’t mean to part with him quite so easy. In fact,’’ added the Buttoner, lowering his voice to a whisper, ‘‘ we don’t mean to part with him at all.’’ ‘Then what do you mean? ”’ asked Nell, in her usually quiet way, as if it were impossible for her to be surprised, startled, or alarmed by any announcement that could be made or any plan that could be revealed. “Why, the swell cove has got such a handsome yack and chain, such beautiful fawneys, and such a sweet breast- pin, besides which, his toggery is so precious good, that it would raly be a sin to let such wallyables slip through our fingers. And therefore,’’? added the Buttoner, in a still lower whisper and with an ominous look, “we mean to put him wery comfortably out of the way. Besides, dead men tell no tales, and since he has seen all our precious faces and would have no trouble in recognizing 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 remorse- less spirit of a 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 But- toner; ‘‘for although not a word has passed our lips on the subject, yet me and him and the Durrynacker and Mushroom Faker have settled the pint with our looks.”’ ‘“T suppose you will wait till I come back to-morrow to say whether I have got the money or not?” observed Nell Gibson. ‘“‘There’s no use waiting at all,’’? answered the Buttoner. CORNICE OOO a SS (CO)