The String of Pearls (1850), p. 582

imminent. He rushed on at increased speed, and just got up to Lupin at the corner. They turned it together, and then Todd managed to say—
"They come—they come!"
"Officers?" said Lupin.
"Yes, I think so. On—on. Oh? push on!"
"This way."
Lupin crossed the road, and sprung down a narrow court ; but even as he did so, came that voice, crying—
"There they go. Stop them—stop them! There they go! Fifty pounds reward!"
A frightful oath burst from Todd's lips, as he emerged from the court still close upon the heels of Lupin. They were now in a tolerably wide street, and they saw but one individual in it, and he was evidently, by the curious manner in which he sometimes favoured the curb-stone by walking upon it for a few paces, and then lumbered up against the house, just a little gone in intoxication.
This individual, after some fumbling in his pocket, produced a latch key, and having staggered up the steps of a house, he made some ineffectual attempts to open the door.
"Hold!" said Todd to Lupin. "Anything is better than this race for life. We can hide in the passage of that house until the pursuit is past. Come."
"A good thought," said Lupin.
By this time the inebriated individual had succeeded in opening the street-door with his latch-key, and he was so elated at having performed the feat, that he stopped to laugh before he entered the house. The moment, however, that he did get into the passage, Todd sprung up the steps, and very adroitly placed his foot against the door, so that when the person from within slammed it as he thought shut, it was a good two inches off that condition. It was then amusing to hear him, with drunken gravity and precision, as he thought, shooting the bolts into their sockets, after which, often tumbling on his way, he went along the passage, and up stairs.
Todd opened the door.
"Come," he said.
"All's right," said Lupin.
"Stop thief! Stop thief!" cried a chorus of voices at the corner of the street.
"Indeed," said Lupin, "The Lord be good to you all."
He stepped into the house after Todd, and very quietly closed the door. The passage was profoundly dark, and there they both stood, those two convicted murderers, listening to what was taking place outside their place of refuge. They heard the sounds of several voices, and it was quite evident that just about that spot the pursuers were baffled, and did not know now which course to take after the fugitives, who were so snugly ensconced so near them.

CHAPTER CXXXVL.
TODD AND LUPIN ESCAPE TO CAEN WOOD.

"What's to be done?" said a voice.
"I'lll be hanged if I know," said another, "and yet I feel sure that they came this way. I thought how it would be when they took to all these streets Lord bless you, we might have passed them in some doorway easy enough—a dozen times."
"So we might."
"All we can do now, is to go round to the different outlets of the city, and give an alarm. "
"Well, I won t give it up yet," said a third person; "I feel quite sure they

582 THE STRING OE PEARLS.

imminent. He rushed on at increased speed, and just got up to Lupin at the
corner. They turned it together, and then Todd managed to say —

"They come—they come !"

" Officers ?" said Lupin.

" Yes, I think so. On—on. Oh ? push on !"

"This way."

Lupin crossed the road, and sprung down a narrow court ; but even as he did
so, came that voice, crying —

" There they go. Stop them— stop them! There they go! Fifty pounds

reward!"

A frightful oath burst from Todd's lips, as he emerged from the court
still close upon the heels of Lupin. They were now in a tolerably wide
street, and they saw but one individual in it, and he was evidently, by the
curious manner in which he sometimes favoured the curb-stone by walking upon
it for a few paces, and then lumbered up against the house, just a little gone
in intoxication.

This individual, after some fumbling in his pocket, produced a latch key,
and having staggered up the steps of a house, he made some ineffectual attempts
to open the door.

<(f Hold !" said Todd to Lupin. "Anything is better than this race for life.
We can hide in the passage of that house until the pursuit is past. Come."
" A good thought/' said Lupin.

By this time the inebriated individual had succeeded in opening the street-
door with his latch-key, and he was so elated at having performed the feat, that
he stopped to laugh before he entered the house. The moment, however,
that he did get into the passage, Todd sprung up the steps, and very
adroitly placed his foot against the door, so that when the person from
within slammed it as he thought shut, it was a g' od two inches off that
condition. It was then amusing to hear him, with drunken gravity and precision,
as he thought, shooting the bolts into their sockets, after wh:ch, often tumbling on
his way, he went along the passage, and up stairs.

Todd opened the door.

" Come," he said.

" All's right/' said Lupin.

Ki Stop thief! Stop thief !" cried a chorus of voices at the corner of the
street.

" Indeed," said Lupin, u The Lord be good to you all/'

He stepped into the house after Todd, and very quietly closed the door. The
passage was profoundly dark, and there they both stood, those two convicted
murderers, listening to what was taking place outside their place of refuge. They
heard the sounds of several voices, and it was quite evident that just about that
spot the pursuers were baffled, and did not know now which course to take after
the fugitives, who were so snugly ensconced so near them.

CHAPTER CXXXVL

TODD AND LUPIN ESCAPE TO CAEN WOOD.

"What's to be done ?" said a voice.

" III be hanged if I know," said another, "and yet I feel sure that they came
this way. I thought how it would be when they took to all these streets
Lord bless you, we might have passed them in some doorway easy enough— a
dozen times." J &

. " So ™ emi ^^^ "All we can do now, is to go round

to the different outlets of the city, and give an alarm. "

" Well, I won t give it up yet," said a third person ; " I feel quite sure they