Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 367: what you’re looking at

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

390 REYNOLDS’ WORKS cheeks. Yes, sure enough, there was Frank, elegantly attired, iaokae as if he a never been otherwise than the occupant of splendid drawing-rooms, the handsomest, the most tastefully dressed, and the most interesting of all the guests present upon this occasion. Lady Saxondale was utterly ignorant of all that had taken place between Frank and her daughter on the preceding day. She did not even know until this instant that he was in Lincolnshire at all. She had for some time past ceased to think of him, though the moment the name was mentioned it conjured up into her mind all past circumstances with regard to himself and Juliana. Her ladyship was astounded and bewildered to behold the youth there, elegantly dressed, looking as if he were as perfectly at home in a splendid drawing-room as if he had never dwelt in a servants’ hall, and introduced, too, by Mr. Hawkshaw, her daughter’s intended husband. On the other hand, Juliana was equally astounded and bewildered. What could it mean? How came he thus handsomely dressed? He who. on the previous day had appeared before her in the meanest garb. But how had he fallen in with the squire? Had there been explanations be- tween them? Had Frank betrayed her secret? Had Hawk- shaw decked him out in order to bring him thither to con- summate a terrific exposure of herself? For an instant she felt as if she could pray that the floor would open under her feet and swallow her up, but the next moment she said to herself, ‘‘ No, Frank would not betray me; he is too generous. There is some strange coincidence, the mystery of which has to be explained. In any case, however, I have a difficult part to play. Courage, caueaee and alien all things, calmness and composure! ”’ ‘ And pray, who is this Mr. Paton? ”’ iter Lady Sema dale, in a somewhat cold and proud tone, for she thought it best to ascertain at once under what circumstances the youth could have formed the acquaintance of Mr. Hawk- shaw, and thereby gained an introduction to the mansion where he was now found. “ Oh,”’ quickly replied Mr. Denison, “ he belongs to one of the best and highest families in the kingdom. He is very well off too, — at least a couple of thousand a year. Hawkshaw told me so just now. He knows all about him, Gomichboo (Eo) <S"