The Argosy — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

A Secret of the Sea. 187 They were still standing on the post-office steps, and before starting Byrne said to Gerald: “ The man I am about to show you lives in the City, and has done so for several years. When in town he always dines at one particular tavern. He generally reaches this place about half-past six and leaves it about half-past seven. He dined at this place yester- day and the day before, and I have no doubt that he 1s there at the present moment. We must wait near at hand till he comes out, and then you will have an opportunity of getting a clear view of him by the light of the lamp over the door.” Here and there in some quiet City nook may still be found one of those homely, old-fashioned taverns, innocent of lacquer work and gild- ing—panelled, not with looking-glass, but with substantial mahogany, dark with age, such as were common in the days when Charles Lamb or Washington Irving were peripatetics about the streets of London, but which are becoming rarer with each recurring year. To several of these taverns is attached a dining-room where a fried sole or a cut off a wholesome joint may be obtained as late as six:or seven o’clock, and where anyone who is known to the house may have a chop or a steak done toa turn up till midnight. There is no bustle and confusion here; you are not hurried over your meals; you need not quit your: seat the moment you have swallowed your last mouthful, in order to make room for some one else. Day after day the same people come— punctual to the minute, as a rule. They are all on hob-nobbing terms with each other, and fresh faces are rarely seen. It was over against such a tavern as this that our three conspirators now stationed themselves. The street was very narrow, and exactly opposite the tavern was a dark passage leading to sundry suites of offices now silent and deserted. Within the shelter of this passage they took their stand. Not long had they to wait. Presently the swing doors were pushed open from the inner side, and the man whom they had come-to see issued forth into the street—a man of fifty, or perhaps fifty-five, broad-chested, strongly built, with short grizzly hair, and with a face that might have been carved out of lignumvite, so hard, resolute, and determined was it in every line. He stood for a moment in the full light of the lamp over the doorway, and then he walked slowly down the street. | Gerald felt Murray’s grasp on his arm tighten suddenly as the man came out. ‘Is that the man you wanted meto find? Is that Max Jacoby?” asked Byrne in a low voice. ‘¢ That is Max Jacoby,” answered Murray in a whisper. ‘We must give him time to get clear away,” said Byme, “and then I will show you the place where he lives.” Five minutes later they left their hiding-place, Byrne, taking his companions through several short cuts and narrow ways, brought them ECOMicbooolkxs.com