Stranica 259 [259]
197
ken—I went up there and saw it with
my own eyes—is filled with traps.”
« This is a smash,” observed Toby, bit¬
ing his lips. “There’s more than one
will go with this."
6 The Sessions are on," said Kags; “ if
they get the inquest over ; if Bolter turns
King’s evidence, as of course he will
from what he’s said already; they can
prove Fagin an accessary before the fact,
and get the trial on on Friday ; he’ll swing
in six days from this, by G—!”’
6 You should have heard the people
n,”’ said Chitling ; "the officers fought
ike devils, or they d have torn him away.
He was down once, but they made a ring
round him, and fought their way along.
You should have seen how he looked
about him, all muddy and bleeding, and
clung to them as if they was his dearest
friends. I can see ’em now, not able to
stand upright with the pressing of the
mob, and dragging him along amongst
them; I can see the people jumping up,
one behind another, and snarling with
their teeth, and making at him like wild
beasts ; I can see the blood upon his hair
and beard, and hear the dreadful cries,
with which the women worked themselves
into the centre of the crowd, at the street
corner, and swore they’d tear his heart
out! The horror-stricken witness of
this scene pressed his hands upon his ears,
and with his eyes fast closed, got up and
paced violently to and fro like one dis¬
tracted.
Whilst he was thus engaged, and the
two men sat in silence with their eyes
fixed upon the floor, a pattering noise was
heard upon the stairs, and Sikes’s dog
bounded into the room. ‘They ran to the
window, down stairs, and into the street.
The dog had jumped in at an open win¬
dow ; he made no attempt to follow them,
nor was his master to be seen.
“ What’s the meaning of this!” said
Toby, when they had returned. “He
can’t be coming here. I—I—hope
not."
“If he was coming here, held have
come with the dog," said Kags, stooping
down to examine the animal, who lay
panting on the floor. “Here; give us
some water for him, he has run himself
faint.”
s He’s drunk it all up, every drop,”
said Kags, after watching the dog some
time in silence, “ covered with mud—
lame—half blind—he must have come a
long way.”
s Where can he have come from!” ex¬
pee in ‘‘He’s been to the other
kens, of course, and finding them filled
with strangers, come on here, where he’s
been many a time, and often. But where
can he have come from first, and how
comes he here alone, without the other?”
“ He, (none of them called the mur¬
derer by his old ee) he can’t have
made away with himself; what do you
think ?" said Chitling.
Toby shook his head.
“If he had,” said Kags, “ the dog ’ud
want to lead us away to where he did it.
No. I think he’s got out of the country,
and left the dog behind. He must have
given him the slip somehow, or he wouldn’t
be so easy.” |
This solution appearing the most pro¬
bable one, was adopted as the right, and
the dog creeping under a chair, coiled
himself up to sleep, without further notice
from anybody. 7
It being now dark, the shutter was
closed, and a candle lighted and placed
upon the table. The terrible events of
the two days had made a deep impression
upon all three, increased by the danger
and uncertainty of their own position.
They drew their chairs close together,
starting at every sound. They spoke
little, and that in whispers, and were as
silent and awe-stricken as if the remains
of the murdered woman lay in the next
room.
They had sat thus some time, when
suddenly was heard a hurried knock at
the door below. |
“Young Bates,” said Kags, looking
angrily round to check the fear he felt
himself.
The knocking came again. " No, it
wasn’t he—he never knocked like
that.”
Crackit went to the window, and, shak¬
ing all over, drew in his head.
There was no need to tell them who it
was; his pale face was enough. The
dog, too, was on the alert in an instant,
and ran whining to the door.
“ We must let him in,” he said, taking
up the candle.
6 Isn"t there any help for it?” asked
the other man in a hoarse voice.
“None. He must come in. ’
“Don’t leave us in the dark,” said
Kags, taking down a candle from the
chimney-piece, and lighting it with such
a trembling hand that the knocking was
twice repeated before he had finished.
Crackit went down to the door, and
returned followed by a man with the
lower part of his face buried in a hand¬
kerchief, and another tied over his head