Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

APPREHENSIONS 79 such,” was Mr. Gunthorpe’s response, and he looked with a strange significancy at Lord Petersfield. ‘“ Your answer is ambiguous,” said the nobleman; “ it admits of a double meaning. It may be intended to imply a consciousness of your own honesty, or 1t may be an indirect and not ungraceful tribute to mine.” “ Humphi!” said Mr. Gunthorpe. “I can assure your lordship I was very far from intending the latter construc- tion to be put upon my words at all. However, this is no occasion for childish trifling. Lord Petersfield, is there nothing upon your conscience with which you can reproach yourself? ”’ This was indeed a home-thrust question put to the diplo- matist, and coming so quickly upon the disagreeable busi- ness he had been discussing with Sir John Marston, there can be no wonder that Lord Petersfield should suddenly turn pale and look confused. ‘ But little more than sixteen years have elapsed,’’ con- tinued Mr. Gunthorpe, again looking very hard in Lord Petersfield’s face, ‘“‘ since a certain nobleman who believed that in you he possessed a sincere and faithful friend — ”’ “Ah!” gasped Petersfield, sinking back in his chair, but in a sudden paroxysm of excitement, he exclaimed, ‘Who are you, Mr. Gunthorpe? ”’ ‘The intimate friend of that nobleman,” was the reply solemnly and firmly given, ‘‘ and one who will see that the wrong be righted. All the circumstances of the past are known to me —.”’ : , “Mr. Gunthorpe,’ interrupted Petersfield, in an im- ploring tone, “‘I beseech you to deal mercifully —I will make every reparation. Where is that nobleman? You did well not to mention his name, for the very walls have ears.”’ “Yes, and doors too,’ said Mr. Gunthorpe, whose keen eye had caught sight of one gently opening an inch or two opposite to that by which he had entered, and as he spoke, he rose from his seat, walked straight up to that door, and pulling it completely open, beheld the baronet retreating from it, having evidently been listening. A hali-suppressed ejaculation escaped Mr. Gunthorpe’s lips, for he instantaneously recognized Sir John Marston, on whose person the ravages of time had not been sufficient to prevent such recognition. But not choosing, for some ) Gomicdoo Ss (E(0)