Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 329: what you’re looking at

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

312 THE COURT OF LONDON ‘“ You are not deceiving me? ”’ cried Ramsey, in a tone of mingled excitement and menace. ‘“ How can you prove to me that he did indeed escape, and that neither you nor Joseph Warren, nor any of your associates, connived at his flight? ”’ : ‘Well, it may be a difficult matter for me to convince you, Mr. Ramsey,”’ returned the villain; ‘‘ but if you was t’other side of the river at this moment, I could take you to the place where the baronet was confined, and show you the hole that he made in the wall of the cellar.’ | “T am inclined to believe you—TI do believe you,” said Ramsey. ‘“‘ In fact, if I had really suspected treachery on your part I should not have come hither this evening. Mr. Martin assured me that the utmost reliance was to be placed upon Warren, and he urged me to come to London and see him without delay.” | ‘But how did you learn that the baronet had escaped? ”’ demanded the Beggarman; “ for the Magsman only wrote this evening to let you know what had happened, and the letter won’t reach Aylesbury till to-morrow morning. He was in hopes of being able to discover Sir Richard again, and take him back to his old quarters; and that’s the reason why he didn’t send you immediate intelligence of his flight.” “Last evening Mr. Martin received the most positive information that Sir Richard had been seen in the neighbour- hood of Aylesbury,’’ said Philip Ramsey; “ and, as you may suppose, we were stricken with dismay. In fact, it will be ruin to both Martin and myself — positive ruin,’ added the young man, with frightful emphasis, “if the baronet is allowed to remain many more hours at large. What is to be done? ”’ ‘What would you wish to be done?” asked the Beggar- man; “‘ and, when you have told us, what will you pay for having it done?” ‘You are disposed to assist us — to any extent — to any extreme? ”’ said Ramsey, sinking his voice to a low whisper, which was, nevertheless, full of meaning; and he bent his looks with kindred significaney upon the villain whom he thus addressed. ‘Let us understand each other, Mr. Ramsey,” observed the Beggarman. ‘“ You gave us a good round sum ior carrying off the baronet, and keeping him in limbo; and we , CONNIE KOOKS (E(0)