Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

62 THE COURT OF LONDON indicating that they were asking questions relative to her companion. Her replies were evidently satisfactory, though hurried; and, beckoning Page to accompany her, she conducted him straight up to the bar. Carrotty Poll obligingly opened the little gate or door which closed the barrier at the side; and the Gallows’ Widow, exchanging a familiar nod with that female, entered the parlour, followed by Page. The Big Beggarman attended upon them, closing the door behind him; and the commercial traveller now found him- self in a little room, scarcely large enough to hold six persons, and dimly lighted by a single candle. The walls were black with smoke and dirt, the floor was strewn with sand, and the scanty furniture was old and rickety. A small, low door stood at one end of the place. ‘Well, what news, my beauty? ’’ demanded the Beggar- man, addressing the Gallows’ Widow in a familiar tone; ‘“ and who is this swell cove?” he inquired, glancing toward the commercial traveller. ‘“ The affair of the pocketbook,”’ was the Gallows’ Widow’s laconic answer as she took a seat. ‘ Ain’t it settled, then? ”’ asked the landlord. “Yes; and the gentleman wants to see my man,” re- sponded the female. “ But to speak candidly, I am sus- picious — I am afraid there is something wrong; and there- fore we had better question him first.” “Oh, that’s it—eh?” exclaimed the Beggarman; and taking up the candle, he held it close to the countenance of the commercial traveller, saying, “‘ If so be he means treach- ery, I shall see it depicted in his wisage—and then I’m blowed if we don’t make a stiff ’un of him in no time.”’ This menace caused Page’s blood to run cold in his veins; but, arming himself with the courage of desperation, and to some degree sustained by the idea that succour was at hand in case of emergency, he underwent the scrutiny of the landlord without moving a muscle of his face. Indeed, he returned the stare of the man with a steady look of calm defiance, and passed through the ordeal in a way which was positively astonishing to himself. “ It’s all right, or I’m deucedly deceived,’ exclaimed the Rig Beggarman, at length replacing the candle upon the table. ‘‘ But we'll see. what the niblike cove has to say for. CONMIELOOL<S,(E0)