Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

12 THE COURT OF LONDON blurted forth the words that came uppermost at the instant, rushed from the room. “ The unmannerly cur! — the rude boor! ” exclaimed the gentleman aloud, while rage was depicted in every lineament of his flushed and heated countenance. ‘ Fool that I was to come hither — and thus risk discovery! ”’ Then, without further hesitation, he threw on his hat and cloak, and drawing up the collar of the latter so as to conceal his countenance as much as possible, he hastily quitted the apartment. In the meantime Mr. Page had rushed, with frantic ex- citement, to the landlord, whom he chanced to find alone in the bar-parlour. ‘Do you know whom you have in the house at this mo- ment? ’’ demanded the commercial traveller, panting for breath. ‘Yes, sir, I do,’ was the cool reply; ‘“‘ but I also know that he does not wish to be recognized. For when he passed the bar, perceiving that I was aware of who he was, he made me a sign —”’ “Perdition on the sign!’ interrupted Mr. Page, angrily. “ Are you a man and a true Briton—and can you remain idly here while such a person is beneath your rool?” | ‘’ If he chooses to come zncognito,” said the landlord, now erowing irritated in his turn, “‘ what business is it to you or me, [ should like to know? ”’ , ‘““ Business! — but there he goes, by heaven! ” vociferated the excited commercial traveller, catching a glimpse through the bar-windows of the rapidly retreating form of the gentle- man in his capacious cloak. And in another minute Mr. Page was bounding after him. But tripping over a mat in the passage, he fell heavily; and rising with difficulty — for he was seriously bruised in his officious haste to perform what he deemed to be a duty owing to society — he observed at a glance that the gentle- man in the cloak had succeeded in effecting his escape from the house. Scarcely, however, had he ascertained this fact when two stout, seedily dressed men, each carrying a short thick ash- stick in his hand, entered the tavern; and as they crossed COMMIIEooolKS (E(@)