The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

THE RESULTS OF THE PLOT 25 given you fair warning, and I hope you will be wise enough to take 1t.”’ : “ And what’s to prevent us from knocking you on the head and shoving you out into the ditch?” exclaimed the Buttoner, suddenly struck with the idea that if Larry Sampson had not come thither for the purpose of effecting any arrests, it was very probable he was unattended by his myrmidons. “ You will not attempt any such thing,’”’ answered Samp- son, coolly, “‘ because, in the first place, I should shoot you through the head,’ and as he spoke he drew forth his hands from his capacious pockets, each hand being armed with a double-barrelled pistol. ‘“‘ Moreover,’ he continued, “if you just tap at that window, three or four of my men will rush in from the gallery; and at the first report of one of these pistols half a dozen more of my runners will break into the house from the street. So now you are forewarned of the consequences of any attempt to molest me.”’ The Buttoner sank down upon his chair again in gloomy sullenness; and Bencull, lighting a pipe, puffed away with the alr of a.man who feels himself in unpleasant circumstances, but endeavours to appear as unconcerned as possible. As for the Durrynacker and the Mushroom Faker, they tossed off frequent bumpers of spirits, doubtless to arm themselves with courage for any emergency that might ensue. But Mr. Sampson in reality seemed to have no inclination to push matters to the extreme on the present occasion; and replacing his pistols in his pocket, he said, ‘‘ Now, Mr. Bencull, I will thank you to go first and open your street. door for me.” The landlord of the dark crib was too well pleased at this command not to obey it with alacrity, and the Bow Street officer issued forth from the den of infamy. Immediately upon emerging into Mill Street, he blew a whistle with a peculiar note of shrillness; and Bencull, keeping the door ajar in order to watch till the ‘‘ enemy” had departed, per- ceived that this was the signal for the runners to leave the vicinage of the dark crib. Larry Sampson passed up the street, and one after the other Bencull counted no less than eight runners whom he recognized as they followed at short: intervals. Then, when the coast was once more clear, he Cconniclooolks (C(O)