Roxy Hastings — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

218 ROXY HASTINGS. told to him. I have accomplished my errand and will retire.” “Not, I hope, without favoring us with your address. My brother might desire to see you.” “You must excuse me. Icannot give you my name or - residence, for at present I am pledged to withhold from Lucy’s friends all clew to her retreat. But I will call here again any day that you wish.” “To-morrow! Call to-morrow, and I shall be greatly obliged to you, miss,” said Charles, politely bowing his fair visitor out. ‘More mystery. More mystery, Charley,” said his sis- ter, as the front door closed upon the strange lady. ‘Here has dinner been cooling these ten minutes-”’ “Dinner! And I never thought to ask her. Dear, dear, how uncivil.” CHAPTER XLII. ‘‘WHAT BLISS IT WILL BE.” It was a painfully embarrassing duty that Charles Lee had to perform, but he resolved to lose no time in discharg- ing it, and he accompanied his brother to his room after . dinner, revolving how he could best broach so delicate a subject. Determined not to hesitate, he plunged im media res by saying : ‘‘Am I entitled to your full confidence, Alf?” . “Confidence? You?” was the quick response. “ Most certainly. I have not a secret in the world from you, and never wish to have.” ‘* But about Roxy—” | “I have been intending to speak to you on this subject for some time, and Iam glad that you have given me so good a chance.” He drew his chair near to that of Charles, as he said this, and the latter, summoning up a cheery look, or rather the poor counterfeit of one, prepared to hear a story of new love, and a new engagement. “Poor dear mother has suffered so much for me,” the lieutenant continued, “that I dare not tell her what I am going to confess to you. She thinks—and it seems that even you have thought it possible—that my heart could prove faithless to that dear girl whose love for me cost her comicbooks.cor