Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 358: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXX THE BALL WELL indeed might Francis Paton be wearied and ex- hausted, after the many long miles he had walked that day, and the excitement of mind through which he had passed. Scarcely, therefore, did he lay himself down to rest in the handsome but old-fashioned chamber to which he was shown, when sleep fell upon his eyelids. On awaking in the morning, the sun was shining in at the window. He looked at his watch, and found that it was nearly ten o’clock. Springing from the couch, he rang the bell, and his valet soon made his appearance. All that Frank required of him was to put out a more suitable apparel than that which he had worn on the preceding day; and when this was done, Edward was dismissed while the youth per- formed his toilet, for he was neither affected nor fastidious enough to need assistance during the process. But while he was thus engaged, he reflected more seriously and more deliberately than he was enabled to do on the pre- ceding evening, on the course he had resolved to adopt by appearing at the Denisons’ ball. All the motives above specified, and which he had already weighed, remained un- disturbed, but there was a danger, which now occurred to him, that made him hesitate. What if Lady Saxondale should herself be at the ball, and should take it into her head to denounce him as the brother of a female highway- man? thus renewing the malignant spirit in which she had expelled him from her mansion. Yet would she dare do this? Would she take so bold a step when she found him in the companionship of a man of such evident wealth and standing as Mr. Hawkshaw? No, it was not probable. Besides, Frank could not see how her ladyship entertained 341 ECORVICLOOO® SS (FO)