"But come what may, she is mine," he continued, as his thoughts
reverted fondly to the fair lady he had quitted. "Yet if she knew
all. If she knew that I were a disgraced and ruined man,--a felon
and an outcast. If she knew that at the age of fourteen I murdered
my Latin tutor and forged my uncle's will. If she knew that I had
three wives already, and that the fourth victim of misplaced
confidence and my unfortunate peculiarity is expected to be at
Sloperton by to-night's train with her baby. But no; she must not
know it. Constance must not arrive. Burke the Slogger must attend
to that.
"Ha! here he is! Well?"
These words were addressed to a ruffian in a slouched hat, who
suddenly appeared from Guy's Keep.
"I be's here, measter," said the villain, with a disgracefully low
accent and complete disregard of grammatical rules.
"It is well. Listen: I'm in possession of facts that will send you
to the gallows. I know of the murder of Bill Smithers, the robbery
of the tollgate-keeper, and the making away of the youngest
daughter of Sir Reginald de Walton. A word from me, and the
officers of justice are on your track."
Burke the Slogger trembled.
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