Page:The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.djvu/120

116 in G—'s name, can't 'e stop in 'is own bloomin' 'ouse an' leave mine alone—a-coming round 'ere a-pokin' and pryin' an' a-prewenting people from earnin' their livin' an' agittin' drunk when they ain't well, cuss 'im."

"What do 'e want?" asked her friend, rubbing her weak old knees.

"Wants, cuss 'im—'e wants 'is d——d throat cut," said Mother Guttersnipe, viciously. "An' s'elp me G—, I'll do for 'im some night w'en 'e's a watchin' round 'ere as if it were Pentridge—'e can git what he can out of that whelp as ran away, cuss 'er; but I knows suthin' 'e don't know, blarst 'im." She ended with a senile laugh, and her companion having taken advantage of the long speech to drink some gin out of the broken cup, Mother Guttersnipe seized the unfortunate old creature by the hair, and in spite of her feeble cries, banged her head against the wall.

"I'll have the perlice in at yer," whimpered the assaulted one, as she tottered as quickly away as her rheumatics would let her. "See if I don't."

"Go to 'ell," retorted Mother Guttersnipe, indifferently, as she filled herself a fresh cup. "You come a-falutin' round 'ere agin priggin' my drinks, cuss you, an' I'll cut yer throat an' wring yer wicked old 'ead orf, blarst you."

The other gave a howl of dismay at hearing this pleasant proposal to end her, and tottered out as quickly as possible, leaving Mother Guttersnipe in undisputed possession of the field.

Meanwhile Calton had seen Brian several times, and used every argument in his power to get him to tell everything, but he maintained an obstinate silence, or merely answered, "It would only break her heart."

He admitted to Calton, after a good deal of questioning, that he had been to Mother Guttersnipe's on the night of the murder. After he left Whyte by the corner of the Scotch Church, and as the cabman—Royston—had stated, he had gone along Russell Street, and met Sal Rawlins near the Unicorn Hotel. She had taken him to Mother Guttersnipe's, where he had seen the dying woman, who had told him something he could not reveal.

"Well," said Mr. Calton, after hearing the admission, "you might have saved us all this trouble by admitting this before, and yet kept your secret, whatever it may be.