Roxy Hastings — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

98 Sai ROXY HASTINGS. | Z tious, not only lending him his earnest co-operation, but in sending up many a mental prayer for the success of their daring enterprise. , “T keep tinking ’tis Brudder Brown hisself ebery min- ute,” said Luke, laughing; ‘and I ’clare I b’lieve dat Shaw would let you right out ober agin, if you should knock. He’d tink he was mistaken about your goin’ afore.” Hartley, in the lieutenant’s clothes,,looked sufficiently like him as he sat at the bedside, with his back to the door, slightly bending over a Bible which rested on his knees. But it was impossible to avoid a general trepidation, ay, terror, during all these proceedings, since they could not, for a minute, make perfectly sure of not receiving a visit from the guard who had let Allen out. As the hour of eight approached they breathed freer, and prepared for the speedy trial of their fearful experiment. “Here, Louis,” said Lee, “take this slip of paper and pencil, and write on it, ‘Jay’s Exercises,’ and ‘Baxter’s . Saints’ Rest.’ He knows my hand, I fear, as I have oc- casionally sent out memoranda by Luke.” | Hartley did as he was requested, and Alfred, handing the paper to the negro, said : “Now, Luke, when I knock to be let out, you must go ahead, and hand this paper to Hess, and tell him it is the names of some books that the minister wants him to get for Mr. Lee.” Luke looked at the speaker and at Louis in a bewildered state of mind, and said: “ Yes, sah, I will.” “That will divert his attention_a little while I walk past—” “Yes, sah.” ‘And give him this money to buy the books with.” ‘“Yes, sah.” “And if he speaks to me I can’t answer, you know, be- cause he would know my voice. So you must answer in some way for me, while I sigh, and shake my head, and pass on.” * Yes, sah, I will; I’ll say somepin.” Kight o’clock struck in an adjacent steeple, the guard was changed outside, and. Lee, who listened intently, heard the clangor of a musket, dropped from the shoulder to the floor, and thought he heard the relieved guard walk off, although not until after an interval sufficiently long to admit of several questions being asked and answered. comicbooks.co