Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 318: what you’re looking at

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

THE SNARE oU | a single word of aught that has taken place here to-night. Begone!”’ and she extended her arm in a commanding manner toward the outer door. ; ‘“ But my good woman,” said Wilham Deveril, ‘‘ we cannot leave you thus. You have saved our lives, you must accept a reward.” “No, nothing more than what I have taken,’ and she displayed the piece of gold. ‘ Why should you throw temptation in my way?” she demanded, almost fiercely. ) “ Do you know what I should do if I were possessed of that — money? I should speed with it to the gambling-table. Ah! you may both look startled and shocked and aston- ished, but it is the truth. And were I to hasten thither, I should be neglecting a duty which I owe to you, William Deveril. And now, not another word, depart — begone! ”’ Lord Eagledean and our young hero, astonished at what they heard, — astonished likewise at the singular character and conduct of this unaccountable woman, — hesitated no longer to obey her, but issued from the room. ‘The staircase was quite dark, but they groped their way down it, and the moment they appeared in front of the bar, both Solomon Patch and his wife were seized with a ghastly terror. Neither the marquis nor William Deveril tarried to speak a word; they merely threw a look of mingled in- dignation and loathing upon the two wretches, and issued from that den of infamy and horror. The moment they had disappeared from the view of Solo- mon Patch and his wife, these two exchanged deeply signifi- cant looks, in which suspense, consternation, and .bewilder- ment were all blended. Then the man in a hurried whisper bade his wife compose her looks and go on serving the cus- tomers, while he sped up-stairs to learn what had taken place, for neither he nor Mrs. Patch could possibly con- ceive by what means the two visitors had come off in safety. Had the plot failed? Were they gone to give information to the authorities? Or had Chiffin concluded a better money bargain than that which had originally instigated him to the concoction of the snare? Speeding up the staircase, three steps at a time, Solomon Patch found Madge Somers bending over the open trap-door. But where was Chifin? The look which the old landlord flung hastily around encountered not the form of the Cannibal. Gomicdoo Ss (C(O)