Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

58 REYNOLDS’ WORKS attended with no ordinary degree of excitement, and there- fore he insisted upon Adolphus postponing it for two or three weeks, that he might acquire physical as well as mental strength sufficient for the occasion.” ‘“‘ And he did wisely,’’ said Mr. Gunthorpe. ‘“Mrs. Chandos and her brother are exceedingly kind to him.”’ “Her brother? ”’ said Mr. Gunthorpe. “ I do not recollect your having before mentioned this brother. Who is he? What is he? I hope, for his own sake, that your Adolphus has fallen into good hands? ”’ “Oh, yes, there cannot be the slightest doubt of it!” exhausted Henrietta. ‘“‘ Mrs. Chandos behaves to him as if she were a sister, and Francis Paton — ”’ ‘“ Eh, what name did you say? ’’ demanded Mr. Gunthorpe, with a sort of start, as if he had not caught the words from the young girl’s lips. ‘“ Francis Paton,’ she repeated. ‘“ He is quite a youth, not more than eighteen — ”’ ‘Ah! And pray what age may his sister, this Mrs. Chandos, be? ”’ ‘“ About twenty-six,’ answered Henrietta. “Twenty-six, and her brother eighteen?” said Mr. Gunthorpe, ina musing tone. “ What is this Francis Paton? — Nothing, I suppose. He is doubtless well off? ” ‘His sister Mrs. Chandos appears comfortably circum- stanced, but her brother Frank,’ continued Henrietta, “is totally dependent on her. For I believe that he has been a page in the service of Lady Saxondale — ” “ What?’’ ejaculated Mr. Gunthorpe, ‘a page in the service of Lady Saxondale? But, however, I shall go and see these persons at once. Don’t think, Henrietta, my dear girl,’ he added, in a kind voice, and stopping short when about to leave the room with a precipitation which he often manifested, and which would have helped to lead persons to suppose that he was of an impulsive character, “ do not think, I say, that I am going to find out objections and raise imaginary obstacles in the way of your happiness. No such thing. I hope most sincerely, for your sake, that all you have told me will turn out perfectly correct.” ‘’ Oh, my dear sir,” cried Miss Leyden, ‘‘ I am incapable of telling you an untruth! ”’ Gomicbooks co