Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

44 REYNOLDS’ WORKS for your taking the phial, the deed can be well explained as arising from the curiosity of the moment. It is not a watch, nor a purse, nor a jewel, nor anything valuable, and Lady Saxondale need not fear the positive imputation of dishonesty on that account.” ‘““ Nevertheless, I conjure you, my dear Doctor Ferney, not to urge this matter. Yes, I entreat, 1 implore you,”’ continued Lady Saxondale, in accents of the most earnest pleading, ‘‘ not to bring it before the world.”’ “Oh, what would you have me think?” exclaimed the physician, suddenly fastening looks of mingled horror and uncertainty upon Lady Saxondale. ‘“‘ No, no, suffer not such a terrible suspicion to remain in my mind. For your own sake, therefore, lose not a moment in furnishing the clue to the unravelment of this mystery.” “ But that’ suspicion which has struck you,” said her ladyship, aghast and trembling. ‘It is a hideous one, and every moment does it become stronger,’ rejoined Ferney. ‘‘ Indeed, there is an excite- ment in my mind such as for years I have not experienced. Would to Heaven that all this had not occurred.”’ “ Doctor Ferney,”’ said her ladyship, in tones that were now really hollow and sepulchral, not to her own ear alone, but to that of the physician, “ you are dragging me on to a revelation which I shudder to contemplate.”’ | ‘Oh, then my suspicion is confirmed,’? murmured the medical man, in accents that were low, deep, and full of horror. ‘Tf you have ever loved me, Doctor Ferney,’’ said the wretched Lady Saxondale, sinking upon her knees before nim, “‘ could you find it in your heart to send me to the scaf- 1old? 2 There was a burst of anguish from Doctor Ferney’s lips, and, starting from his seat, he began pacing the room to and fro in terrible agitation. Lady Saxondale, whom he had left kneeling at the sofa whence he had risen, slowly raised herself from that suppliant posture, and, advancing toward him, extended her arms, murmuring in half-smothered accents, ‘‘ Mercy, mercy! ”’ The doctor stopped short. He gazed upon that woman whom he had loved so long, so truly, so enduringly; his thoughts were reflected back to those bygone years when he Gomicbooks co