Roxy Hastings — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

210 ROXY HASTINGS. She had no longer any pride to be wounded, any dignity to be lowered—she was willing to abase herself to the dust to serve the loved child who seemed to have been so mirac- ulously restored to her. Yet Mrs. Holden was not capable of doing anything un- ladylike. : “ Alfred either loves my daughter still or he does not,” she said to herself. ‘‘ Nothing that I can do will alter facts. I go not to ask favors, but to prevent further suffering from misapprehension.” She knew the late residence of the Lees, for her husband, it will be remembered, had once been there, and thither she proceeded with palpitating heart, but only to find the housé in the possession of strangers. She went in in hopes of getting information, and she succeeded, for Mrs. Welles, a middle-aged and very loqua- cious lady, knew all about the Lees, as, indeed, she said, she had good reason to. Her husband had once been a clerk in the old gentleman’s store, and being out of health and out of business, was ‘‘of course rather limited in means.” He was, in fact, a shiftless, unenergetic, good natured fellow, without a cent. Mr. Charles Lee had very generously insisted on their occupying his furnished house, rent free, and quite nicely it was furnished, too, she said, looking around with much complacency at her really elegant little parlor. | ‘““T suppose,” she added,‘‘ Edgar wouldn’t like the idea of my telling all this—and toa stranger, too, and I did not mean to, but it slipped out. The truth is, I cannot keep a secret, and I hate your close-mouthed people who never tell anything.” Mrs. Welles talked as if she had not had a chance before in a long time, and her visitor, watching her chance to speak at last inquired where her friends had moved to. ‘It’s the corner of Twenty something and Fifth avenue,” the lady replied, ‘‘I can’t quite remember, but it’s a large four-story stone house, with their name on the door.” ; Mrs. Holden’s countenance fell. ‘“Why, they must have become rich, then,” she said, “or at least—” ‘Rich !” interrupted the lady, ‘‘bless you, haven’t you heard? But you live in the country, perhaps. Why, the Lees are said to be worth millions, It’s only lately come out, but their wealth is something extraordinary even in these days of colossal fortunes,” ~ How did they acquire it?” (elo) Eomicbooks