Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 277: what you’re looking at

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

260 REYNOLDS’ WORKS ‘‘ Nothing,’ she observed. Then in order to change the conversation, she asked, “‘ Have you seen Chiffin lately? ”’ ‘Well, yes, I have,’ answered Solomon, and he seemed to speak with some little degree of hesitation. “Ts anything the matter with him?” asked Madge, look- ing at the old man fixedly. ‘“‘ Anything turned up about that barge affair? ”’ ‘““ No, it all seems to have died away as comfortable as possible. But here he be,’”’ and as he spoke, the Cannibal, dressed in his usual style, entered the bar-parlour. ‘“ Hullo, Madge,’ he exclaimed, ‘‘ who would have thought of seeing you here? Why, I’ve been up to your cottage yonder two or three times during the last week, and it was all shut up and as silent as a grave.”’ ‘“ Did you want me, then?” she asked. ‘“ Well, I did rather. Just step along with me. Here, Sol, bring us up some liquor into the private room, for me and Madge have got some particular business to talk about.” ‘“ Ah! about them preparations that you’ve been making, I suppose,” said the old man, with a sly look full of dark and sinister meaning. “Well, 1t may be,” growled the Cannibal, “ but don’t you let your tongue run quite so free, ’cos why, how did you know I was going to speak to Madge on that subject? And if I wasn’t, then you would have made her suspect something.” “Oh, I only meant that if you are going to let her into the secret,’’ replied Solomon, “‘I am glad of it, for she’s a discreet woman, and you can trust her. Besides, as I won’t do it myself —”’ “Now hold your jaw, you cursed old fool,’ interposed Chiffn, his diabolical countenance contracting with an expression of hideous ferocity, while he grasped his club as 1f about to strike. ‘“‘ As you get old you become so pre- cious talkative there’s no doing nothing with you. How do you know that what’s said in there, if spoke too loud, isn’t heard by the people at the bar? ”’ ) ‘“T didn’t mean no offence, Mr. Chiffin,’”’ said the old man, trembling from head to foot, for he stood fearfully in awe of the dreaded Cannibal. ‘Well then, look sharp, bring us up some brandy, and lend us this light.” Gomicbooks