Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

_ 78 ALFRED DE ROSANN. “ Ah! how so? did you cook him a dinner?” asked the curious gastronomer. ‘¢ No—but I saved him from the.gallows by knock- ing him on the head, and leaving him for dead,’ was the reply. “T have done the same to many a rabbit,” said Champignon complacently, “although not for the same purpose.” «¢ Well—if you can manage to hold your tongue for a minute, I will tell you how I rendered so essential a service to Auguste Ledoux. You know that he and I escaped from Toulon together ; but you do not know that when we got into the open fields, two Gendarmes pursued us on horse-back, ventre a terre.” We led them arare dance amongst the woods, &c., till Auguste could not move another inch. What was to be done ? the police-officers were close upon us: only one moment remained for reflection—but that mo- ment was enough forme. I unburdened my mind to Atiguste, who, however, did not at all relish the scheme. That was nothing—I knew it was for his good—so I cut short his objections by putting it in practice, and knocking him down with all my force. He lay senseless upon the grass—I rifled his pockets, and turned them inside out ; and then ran away as fast as my legs could carry me. It all happened as | foresaw. The Gendarmes wasted their time over Auguste, whom they firmly believed I had murdered and plun- dered ; and when I was well concealed in the wood, ‘they resumed their search after me, intending to take charge of the corpse—as they supposed it to be—on their return. But all their cunning was ineffectual ; they passed my hiding-place about a thousand times— and late at night gave up their task to return home. ~ Meantime Auguste had come to himself, and had also betaken to the woods: everything thus turning out as I anticipated. In the course of the next day we encountered each other—he embraced me as his sa- * Synonymous with “at full gallop.’ CORNICE OOOKS.COnn