Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

° THE PREPARED PITFALL 203 two genelmen whose disappearance I have got to bring about. © The hint how to do it was given me by the lady — for it is a lady, and I don’t mind saying this much — who is employ- ing me. She doesn’t want these two genelmen to have their throats cut and their bodies found anywhere above ground, which would only cause an immense sensation, as the news- papers say, and lead to no end of inquiries. But what she wants is for these two genelmen to slip out of the world just as easy as if the earth opened and swallowed them up, so that there sha’n’t remain the least clue to show where they have gone. Their friends and relations may fancy they have ran away, or anything they like, but that’s no business of mine. It’s enough for me to know that if these two genelmen disappear all snug and comfortable, with no chance of never turning up no more, I shall get two—I mean a decentish sum, out of which I can afford to pay you fifty for helping me.”’ : ‘Go on,’ said Madge, imperturbably. ‘“ I am listening.” “ Well, you see,’’ proceeded Chiffin, ‘‘ I sha’n’t be at any loss to entice those two genelmen here, because I know how to do it, and have got an excuse ready. And what’s more, too, I have got the arrangements all made, settled, and done, to send them out of existence much nicer and easier than if they was let down on the drop at the Old Bailey; ’cause why, here there won’t be no ropes around their necks to break their fall and hold ’em up tight.” “Go on,’ said Madge again, her countenance now ex- hibiting some degree of interest. . “Come and look here,’ said Chiffin. Taking up the candle, he opened that newly made door which had already engaged the woman’s notice, and led her into the adjoining room, which for many years had served as the chamber where Solomon Patch and his wife were wont to sleep. Madge, as before stated, knew it well, but she now found it com- pletely changed. The bed had been removed. It was no longer fitted as a sleeping-room at all, but was arranged as a parlour, though still meanly enough furnished. There were a few Windsor chairs; a table stood upon a carpet about twelve feet square; and a large piece of furniture, like a bureau, was placed against the original door of com- munication, which opened from the landing. This door we will henceforth call the old one, to prevent any confusion Gomichoo Ss (C(O)