Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

a : ALFRED DE ROSANN. 47 “There is not a soul,” continued the convict, ‘either in our chain, or at the dagne—unless indeed it be yourself—that has not an idea and a hope of es- cape sooner or later. This is the reason which obliges us to make confidants of our companions; and the same may account to you wherefore a religious, sulky, moping fellow, who would betray a friend, to gain the governor’s favour, is suspected. But I will help you to weather all difficulties, if you only connive with me to attain the grand object. What is your crime?” J was accused of forgery,’’ answered De Rosann, ' a deep scarlet suffusing his whole countenance. “ A very gentlemanly and noble perpetration,’’ con- tinued Belle-Rose, for such was the name of the indi- vidual to whom De Rosann was chained. “I hope the amount was considerable.’’ ‘“ Three hundred thousand francs.’? “ Tonnerre de Dieu!’’ exclaimed the convict, gaz- ing on his youthful companion in admiration mingled with respect: “ I suppose you are not lacking in ready cash, then?’’ | “JT have not a single sou,’ was the laconic an- swer. “(sod knows you cannot have less,” rejoined Pierre Belle-Rose, his admiration and his respect for De Rosann essentially diminishing. ‘Every centime would have been taken from me by the Gendarmes the moment I was captured, even had I concealed cash about my person.” “See what it is never to have been at the galleys during one’s life,’ cried Belle-Rose in a compassion- ate tone of voice; ‘‘ he does not even know how to conceal hismoney! Poor young man! But at the next town we must get a supply.—Ha! ¢a mon, brave,’ continued the experienced convict, once more addressing himself to De Rosann, “ there are two fea- tures in your tale that appear somewhat inconsistent. Now, as we have no secrets amongst ourselves, I must sdemand an explanation. In the first place, how does it happen that you did not decamp with your three > ~ - CoOmicooolks