The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 395: what you’re looking at

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

318 REYNOLDS’ WORKS a reticule which hung at the back of the chair, and, handing it to Chiffin, said, ‘‘ Count its contents for yourself.” ‘“ Kleven sovereigns, two ten-pound notes, one five, and some silver,” said the Cannibal, as he emptied the contents of the purse into his hand. “ Well, but all this is a poor lot. The family plate must be worth ten times as much. What’s to prevent us cutting your throat, ma’am, and then ransacking the place for ourselves? ”’ “The plate is in the butler’s own room,’ was Lady Saxondale’s calm and collected response. ‘“‘ He sleeps in the same corridor with the other male domestics of the house- hold. His door is no doubt locked, and if you attempted to force it, an alarm would be raised. A dozen men servants, most of them for a certainty possessing loaded weapons, would be upon you.”’ “Her ladyship speaks like a book,’’ whispered Tony Wil- kins. ‘‘ Take the blunt; it will be a deuced good night’s work.”’ The Cannibal shghtly turned his head toward his com- panion to hear what he had to say, and during the few brief moments his eyes were thus averted from Lady Saxon- dale, she again swept her own glances with lightning quick- ness toward the mantelpiece, and a scarcely perceptible gleam which flitted over her countenance might be regarded as an indication that she had discovered the object for which she had twice searched. ‘The lady’s sweeping glance was so rapid, and that gleam on the features was so transient, that it was a wonder Chiffin observed either. But he did, nevertheless, for ere completely turning his looks again toward Lady Saxondale, he glanced at her from the corners of his eyes; for there was altogether something in her calm self-possession, in her fortitude and coolness, which had made him suspect that she was contemplating some strata- gem to effect a turning of the tables against himself and companion. “ Well, ma’am,’’ he said, with no alteration in his own voice, look, or manner, “‘ me and my pal is agreed to take the blunt, —or saving her presence, the money, — and we mean to be satisfied. But of course we can’t let you v0 by yourself to your own room, ’cause why, it’s certain sure you would come back with a posse of servants at your heels.”’ , CONNIE OO KS (E(0)