Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 110: what you’re looking at

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

, as SIR RICHARD STAMFORD 93 irritated tone. ‘‘ If I had not meddled in your affairs I never should have encountered the miscreant who has locked me up im this accursed place. But it was all through meeting you the night before last at the George and Blue Boar in Holborn, oe then chasing you in a hackney- coach till you disappeared in the Edgeware hose ‘Ts it possible that these wretches can have given me a madman as a companian?’’ exclaimed Sir Richard Stam- ford, in a voice too full of anguish to permit the slightest doubt as to his sincerity, or to allow the least suspicion that he was wilfully affecting not to understand the allusions and meanings of the commercial traveller. ‘“T see that we are playing at cross-purposes somehow or another,’ said Page; “‘ but with a little patience we may soon get at the truth. In the first place, however, I can assure you that | am no lunatic, — although it is very possible that I shall become one shortly, if my employers don’t rescue me from this dreadful! dungeon.”’ “You spoke of meeting me the night before last in a tavern in Holborn,” observed Sir Richard Stamford, still hesitating to believe in the alleged sanity of his fellow prisoner, but determined to put him to the test. ‘To be sure,’ cried the commercial traveller. ‘‘ And I made some civil remark to you; but you turned away as proud as Lucifer, scarcely deigning a reply.” ‘There is some strange misconception in all this,’’ said the baronet; ‘‘ for not only was I never in my life at the tavern which you named, but the might you allude to was S passed by me in this perched place.’’ “ And yet you are Sir Richard Stamford? ” exclaimed Page, with increasing bewilderment. “T have already assured you | am that most subd ous and much injured individual,’ was the mournful response. ‘““ When were you brought here, might I ask? ”’ demanded the commercial traveller. “‘ Let us reckon by dates and days, and then we shall come to the point. The terrible event of Aylesbury took place during the night of Monday, the 4th of January.” “ And it was immediately after those fatal occurrences that I was seized, thrust into a covered van, gagged, and brought hither,” said the baronet. ‘‘ As nearly as I can reckon, it must have been at about six o’clock in the morning CORMMICOO© <S) (C(O) mn