Roxy Hastings — page 185: what you’re looking at

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

176 ROXY HASTINGS. While’ they thus talked in the breakfast-room the door bell rang, and Ross and Binney, guarding the prisoner, entered the house. Mrs. Eldon turned very white when she knew that they had come, and needed additional restoratives and support for many minutes, after which she was assisted up stairs into the back parlor. “Won't they let me see him alone?” she whispered. “Probably the officers won’t be willing to part company with him at present, ma’am,” said the major. “He might leap out of a window, you see. But you need not go in just yet; wait here until we have seen him, and have prepared him for your appearance.” | 3 “Yes, yes, that will be better.” Major Todd, with his daughter and granddaughter, went into the front parlor, where their recent guest was sitting, sullen and downcast, between the two policemen. He did not look up on their entrance, and Ross, who was the first speaker, said, after nodding to the ladies: “We've brought him around, you see, to make matters quite sure. Hold up your head now,” he added, roughly, to the prisoner, knocking him under the chin with his open hand, ‘‘and let these people have a good look at you.” ‘‘There’s no need of that,” said the major, ‘‘it’s the man ; it’s Louis Hartley.” “Yes,” added the widow, with a sigh. ‘Are you quite sure ?” ‘‘Oh, yes, sir. He staid here last night—he took tea with us—he has been here several times before.” ‘‘And you, young lady, what do you say ?” ““The same, sir. There can be no mistake in his identity. But I hope—I hope, gentlemen, you will be able to let him off, as we do not wish to appear against him.”’ ‘‘Impossible, miss. We’ve no right to do that, and I don’t think he deserves pity either. He must be a very hardened offender.” “Oh, no, sir; we know his history. It’s his first offense, I’m sure, and if he were let off I’m certain he would never commit another crime. Would you, Mr. Hartley ?” ‘In course not,” said the man, raising his eyes now for the first time to the fair intercessor. ‘‘How could you, Louis—how could you do such a thing ?” asked the widow. | ‘Don’t know, ma’am; really cannot make it out. I think I must have been a little out of my head.” | ‘**You see we know his mother, who is one of the best of EGomicbooks: (Efe)