Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

68 ‘THE COURT OF LONDON “That is the difficulty!’ exclaimed the commercial traveller, assuming a tone of vexation. ‘‘ The front door is precious strong and well chained and bolted; and the shutters to the warehouse window are not a very insignificant barrier. It there was much noise made, the porter would be sure to wake up Gown-stairs.”’ ‘““ And tiere’s no means of getting in at the back? ” asked the robber. ‘“ None that I know of,” replied Page, purposely avoiding the creation of a suspicion by representing the business as one that had few difficulties in the way. ‘“ Well, it must be attempted in front, then,” said the Magsman. ‘“ We must manage to get down one of the shutters, take out a square of glass, shove in a boy to open the front door, and pop up the shutter again before the watchman comes along. The course is clear enough now; it is difficult and even dangerous, but a mere flea-bite to things that I have done in my time.”’ Here again the Gallows’ Widow laughed in her quiet way, as 1f it were to herself. ‘“ Well,”’ resumed the Magsman, “ so far we have settled the matter. Now, where do we meet to-morrow night at about a quarter to twelve o’clock? ”’ ‘“ Name your own place, and I will be there to a minute,”’ answered Page, delighted to think that the interview was drawing to an end. ‘“There’s a flash-house in Grub Street, called the ‘ Kin- chin-Ken,’’’ said the Magsman, after a few moments’ re- flection. ‘* You will be there at a quarter to twelve; and it would be well, perhaps,’ added the rufhan, “if you was- to come in the shabbiest clothes you have.” “J will not forget,” responded Page. “Not in that slap-up cloak, mind,” observed the Mags- man; ‘‘ but try and look as much like one of us as you can. The Kinchin-Ken is a noted house for young prigs, and there’ll be a many there at the time; so that if you go amongst them in swell toggery it may be disagreeable.”’ ‘““T shall bear in mind all you tell me,’’ said Page, rising from his seat; and, having emptied his glass, he wished the robber a good night. ‘“ Good night, my ben-cull,’’ returned the man, extending his huge hand, which the commercial traveller was com- ECORNIE OOO KS (E(@) m