Roxy Hastings — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

226 ROXY HASTINGS. “Nowhere in particular. I’ve been thinking, if you and Miss Lee had no objections I would go with you?” ‘We shall be delighted,” said Alf, ‘‘or at least I shall, and as to Laura ,” he added, looking at her, “‘she can speak for herself.” ‘“‘T am sure I shall be very happy,” Miss Lee said, with a _ sweet, frank smile. “But you don’t know where we are going,” resumed Alfred. “Tt will. be a pleasant journey for me, I am sure, wherever it is,” replied Mr. T., looking at Laura. “We stop a while in Milburn, and then we may go to Iceland.” “Very good:”’ “Siberia.” “Capital.” ‘*Nova Zembla !” ‘*Splendid !” “Why, Alfred,” said Laura, ‘‘I am sure I never heard you speak of going to any such dreadful places as these. You said London, Paris, and Genoa, and Brussels—Flor- ence and Rome, and—” “Did I, my dear?” said Alf, laughing. ‘‘Well, it shall be just as you say—that is, you and one other person, whom I expect to see within the next forty-eight hours.” Lieutenant Lee’s spirits had been very exuberant _ throughout the voyage, but he began to be somewhat so- bered now by the more serious reflections which his pecu- liar position was calculated to awaken. Lucy Holden still believed him to be dead, and he certainly did not dare to awaken her from that settled conviction, either by appear- ing unannounced before her or by writing her a letter in his own name. } Laura was evidently the fitting person to act as his pre- cursor, and to prepare her mind for that joyous intelli- gence, which might prove overpowering in its intensity if abruptly or injudiciously disclosed. Of course Miss Lee readily undertook the task, though not without misgivings as to her own judgment and self- command. ‘‘There is no one else—-I must do it, of course,” she said, ‘“‘but you must give me some hints, Alfred, for I have really no tact, vou know, at anything.” “You underrate yourself, Laura, I am sure,” was the reply, ‘‘but I shall of course have some suggestions to make which you can act upon if nothing better occurs to Eomicbooks.co