Roxy Hastings — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

ROXY HASTINGS, | 185 “Say nothing to Emily. Perhaps it’s too late, but I’ll go and see what can be done.” Charley went to the shipping merchants and learned that the President was not yet off. “I have a friend who engaged as supercargo—” “Oh, Mr. Selby. There he is talking with my partner now. He is just going aboard.” Selby turned on hearing his name mentioned, and looked A Lee, who was a little disconcerted, and bowing said to im : “I ought not to have said ‘a friend,’ for you are quite a stranger to me; but I wish to say a word to you apart, when you are quite at leisure.” ‘‘I am at leisure now, I believe,” replied Tom, looking at his employer. Certainly.” ‘“The young men retired, and, after ten minutes’ conver- sation, returned, (Selby, with the traces of surprise and _ delight on every part of his expressive countenance), when Mr. Lee said: “T want to cancel this young man’s engagement with you. I hope it will not cause you much inconvenience, and I will do anything to assist you in finding a substi- tute.”’ “Oh, don’t trouble yourself about that. We have had three applicants for the place since it was offered to him. Though the pay is small there are so many anxious to es- cape the next draft—” ‘“Ah, yes, I see. You will let him off, then?” “Most certainly.” Charley walked off with his prize, and, as Tom said that none of his traps had gone aboard yet, the young men went directly to the house of Mrs. Hastings, where their appearance and their news raised a tumult of joy which could not easily be described. Emily was dressed and down stairs in a brief space of | time, crying and laughing by turns, yet telling her lover that ‘a bad penny always returns,” and that she might nave known he would come back. Charley, not the least happy of the company, parried all attempts to thank him, and said : “Tf anybody is to be thanked it’s little Roxy here. She did it. She did it that night when she wrote ona piece of paper, ‘Do not sign,’ and then handed it to me, and asked if I had dropped it. Ha, ha! There was presence of mind for you in a little, trembling, frightened girl.” GComichoo <s) (E(0)