Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 112: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

104 ALFRED DE ROSANN. ble curses against the authority that had thus inter- fered in a private quarrel. That night, five minutes before the convicts were ordered to their quarters, and during the interval when their chains were taken off for the purpose of affording a brief relaxation, the inspector was found murdered in the yard! 7 Suspicion fell upon Edouard and Francois; they were instantly arrested and confined in separate dun- geons. The handle of a knife was discovered in Francois’ pocket—the blade had broken against the ribs of the deceased. Our readers must be informed that the inmates of the dagne are not permitted to have knives; the query now arose, “ Whence had Francois procured the one in question?” A turnkey confessed he had lent it to him that very afternoon, since the dispute had taken place. ‘Fhus circumstan- tial evidence was strong against the unhappy old man. But the conduct of Edouard excited universal dis- gust, even in minds long inured to treachery and crime. He declared at his examination, that Francois had imparted to him his intention of being revenged on the inspector, two hours before the murder was discovered, and’had endeavoured to persuade him to assist in the nefarious design ; that he had positively refused; and that he was himself astonished at Francois carrying his resentment to such a frightful pitch. Edouard moreover begged that particular attention might be paid to the evidence of the convict who had been the original cause of the dispute, and to that of a sentry present during the quarrel, by which. testi- mony it was fully proven that Francois had uttered many threats, and those without the slightest reserve, the moment the inspector was beyond ear-shot. The Commissary and other authorities, who presided at this examination, were considerably struck by the- force of these arguments ; and Francois was accord- ingly handed over to the jurisdiction of the criminal judge of the district, at whose hands he did not ex- ECOMMICLOOCKS sO