Year: 1865

Lamb. The burning, clammy


thirst, partially allayed by tll'


draught Of pump water, returned


upon him as he was passing


through the Minories, and finding


himself close by a tavern where


he could obtain credit, he entered


the King Charles tavern, called


for a measure of spiced ale-an


other, then another, at which game


of ruin we must for a brief space
leave him to ascertain what is go
ling on at the Bull Inn, Aldgate


On the previous night, directly


after Carver had been got to bed


Nathaniel Betteridge concluded


that he also was too staggery and


out of sorts to go home, and that


be could not do better than secure
the other bed in the room where


his friend and crony was sleeping.


This, as a matter of course, was


acceded to. Betteridge, it was


afterwards we'll remembered, paid


his reckoning from handful Of


gold and silver coins, with consid-


cradle ostentation, and forthwith
retired to bed. He did not awake,


or, at all events, did not rise till
nine o'clock, few minutes after
which there was furious uproar
in the house. Nathaniel Better
idge, upon putting on his clothes,
discovered that he had been robbed
of all his money. After the first
confusion had subsidized, suspicion
naturally pointed to Carver, who
had left the inn so early and fur
lively, as the robber, whereupon
considerate Mr.. Betteridge seemed
desirous of hushing up the affair !;
but the character of the house was
now at stake. Constables were
sent for by the landlord, and a
search after Carver was made, first
at his lodgings, next at the Lamb,
without success. At last informa-
ton was brought that the unfor-
tunate man was drinking at the
King Charles. He was found and
captured there, Immediately taken
to the Mansion House, searched
by order of the sitting alderman,
and the coins stolen from Better
idge were found carefully con-
cealed in an inner pouch of his
doublet. Five minutes after this
discovery, and whilst still in a
state of stupefaction, he was COM
mitted to Newgate, and, in the
Judgment of the spectators, as
good as half-hanged already.


Mistress Hobson's anger van
ished at once in presence of the
peril in which Carver
was enmeshed, foully SO, she was
confident; but now to bring home
that conviction to others was the
rub. The family attorney assured
her the case against Carver was
so plain that to attempt a defence
was mere folly, and strongly adj
vised her not to waste her sub
stance in so futile an effort. In
the very crisis of her distress, who
should walk into the Lamb but an
old customer whom she had not
seen for long, long time, vulture-
George Jefireys, the bar
rister, who, not yet thirty, had
won the reputation of q
fierce, unscrupulous, and most sue
cessful practitioner. He called
for ale and tobacco, and was soon
absorbed in the enjoy-l
ment of those luxuries, the taste
for which, it is well known, sur
vived his elevation to the chief |
justice and chancellorship. Mis-
Iress Hobson determined to forth
with consult this formidable per-
and the grim auditor lis
tened to her story with keen at
tention as the small fierce eyes,
cleaning intently at her from out
/ cloud of tobacco-smoke, suffi-
testified, though he only
,ruffly murmured, inter ala, when
she paused for breath, that he
knew the Bull Inn and Will Bur-
ON very well. I


At length the lady had said her
'ay, and Master Jeffreys, after a
ew minutes self.communiug, said
--'1 am of opinion, dame, that
Betteridge is at the bottom Of this
Ugly affair; and it happens that
1ou can Just now render me an es-
;ential favor. If you agree to do
%, will for once travel cut Of