Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

THE BEGGAR’S STAFF 67 vals; but it was too dark to form an idea what they were. They, however, all three turned into Horslydown, and | confess that I didn’t like it. But it might have been a false alarm on my part; and the conduct of this gentleman has since made me think it was.” While the Gallows’ Widow was speaking, the Magsman’s eyes were fixed not exactly suspiciously, but searchingly, upon the commercial traveller, who sustained this steadfast, scrutinizing gaze without wincing. The Magsman seemed satisfied; and Mr. Page, perceiving that the result was in his favour, felt more at ease. “And how do you propose to carry this business into execution? ’’ demanded the robber, after sipping his brandy and water in a leisurely way. “Hodson and Morley’s place of business is in Wood Street, as you know already,’’ answered Page, ‘ and Hodson lives on the premises.”’ ‘How many men are there in the house at night? ”’ in- terrupted the thief. ) ‘“ Three,’’ was the response: “‘ Hodson, a man servant, and the porter, who sleeps in the kitchen, a bed being made up for him on purpose.” ‘And of course he has firearms within reach? ”’ “Not that I know of. But there’s a watchman in the street all night; he is paid by the inhabitants.” “ And therefore he walks up and down,’’ observed the Magsman, “so that while he’s at one part of the street, we can be commencing operations in another.” “ Exactly so,’’ answered Page. ‘ The cash-box is kept in -an iron safe let into the wall in the counting-house, which is in the back wareroom; and there will be some trouble | in picking the lock of that sie? “ Leave the matter to me,” said the Magsman, in a tone of confidence. “ D’ye think I’ll have much trouble in opening it, Lizzy —eh?’’ he demanded, turning with a chuckle toward his mistress. “ Not much, Joe,” she replied, laughing in a low, quiet manner which did Page harm to hear it; for he fancied that a woman who could laugh in that strange way was capable of any atrocity — there was something so unnatural in it. “ Where ought the entrance into the house to be at- tempted? ”’ demanded the Magsman, after a brief pause. ECORMMICLOO© ‘S (C©)