Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

120 THE COURT. OF LONDON the first moment when his eyes caught the dark outlines of the somewhat stout and burly figure. “Tf I were to tell you that his society was agreeable to d) me,’ answered the baronet, bitterly, ‘‘ you would remove him to another place; and if I were to declare that I prefer solitude you would leave him here in order to torment me.” “Maybe I should,” observed the man, with a coarse and brutal chuckle. “ But perhaps you’d like to know why we put him along with you at all? Well, I don’t mind telling you, Sir Richard,”’ continued the rufhian, after a brief pause, during which he found that his half-interrogative observation remained without reply. ‘“ The fact 1s that we wanted you to learn the real position in which you stand regarding affairs out-of-doors in general, and at Aylesbury in particular. It was very certain that if I had told yeu all that, you would not have believed me; you would have fancied that I was only making things look as black as the devil, on purpose to get you to accept the conditions proposed. But as Mr. Page is doubtless well acquainted with all that has occurred, and all that people now say of you, why, the chances are that he has not left you in the dark in that respect. Is it not so?” “My companion has indeed given me a further insight into the viliainies of those who employ you to persecute me,’ said the baronet; in a mournful tone.- Then, with sudden excitement, he cried, “ But can nothing move you to release me from this dreadful place? My enemies pay you well, no doubt, to keep me here, but I will pay you better if you will let me go. I am not altogether friendless. I can give you a letter to a gentleman who will pay you a thousand pounds as the price of my treedom — ”’ “Come now, none of that nonsense with me!” inter- rupted the man, savagely. “‘l am not to be bribed. The only way in which you can obtain your liberty is to sign the paper.” “Then I will not sign it feverish energy. | ‘‘ Just as you please, sir,’’ remarked the fellow. ‘“ You will sing a different song before many days are over. Now, Mr. Page — are you awake yet? ”’ ‘A straw bed is not very provocative of slumber,” |”? ejaculated the baronet, with ) Gomichbooks