Roxy Hastings — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

194 KOXY HASTINGS. another, some of the bloom faded from her own cheeks, and she began to pine for home. “Do you tire of us so soon?” asked Charles, when she spoke of returning. : Their eyes met. What is it that he reads or rather that he does not read, in those calm blue orbs, which quail be- fore his earnest gaze, and find refuge behind their drooping lashes ? No—they had been only too kind to her, she said, but she did not think that she was quite well, and she was sure’ that her friends were impatient for her return, although they would hint nothing that would abridge her happi- ness. Charles urged a prolongation of her visit, and promised to go himself to Philadelphia, and make all necessary ar- rangements for it. But Roxy was resolute. ‘‘After the wedding,” she said, ‘‘which we shall expect you all to attend—” ‘Oh, of course we shall do that.” ‘‘Tf—if Laura should really want me—and if mother and Emily can spare me—perhaps—” “Two ‘ifs’ and a ‘perhaps,’ Roxy, are too much,” said Charles, laughing; “after the wedding you will come back: with us—say that, and we’ll let you go.” Roxy nodded and smiled, and the bargain was con- sidered concluded. She had said nothing of the fact that her mother and Kmily would decide neither upon house nor durniture with- out her, for these were reasons which scarcely influenced her. The wedding had been postponed for other causes until early in the spring, and there was ample time for all the business preparations which were to precede it. She went home a few days afterward in company with an acquaintance of Charles’, who was traveling south- ward, having first agreed upon a correspondence with Laura, who already loved her as a sister. “ How we shall miss her!” she said, when they returned from the railroad depot, whither all but the widow had ac- eee aed her. “I shall count the days until she comes ack. comicbooks.co