Roxy Hastings — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

230 ROXY HASTINGS. ‘“‘T will certainly try,” said Tinkelpaugh. “We will talk it over at our hotel. I suppose we shall have time.” “Oh, we can take what time we choose, though Alfred will, of course, be impatient.” “Tt is a most extraordinary story,” Mr. T. added, ‘‘and, I need not say, a most affecting one. I am greatly ‘lined to you for confiding it to me, for such a mark of your friendship, I mean.” Yet Laura had not been quite satisfied with her friend's manner of hearing this narrative. It had been rather too polite and formal. There had been no starts‘and surprises ; in short, he acted like one who had heard it all before. Could Alfred have told it to him? When the story was finished the rattan and its slim owner had disappeared; and, when the train stopped ‘‘*Ed’ard,” who thought, with his favorite poet, ‘‘Whate’er betide, I've felt the worst,” hurried home, pale and ex- cited, yet showing in every look and action how fully freighted he was with his wonderful tidings. He had not heard the solicitude expressed in regard to the effect of too abrupt a communication of the news to Miss Holden, and he was quite incapable of any such re- flection himself. Good news is good news, he thought, the world over, and though Lucy was certainly lost to him, it would be a pleasure to make her happy, and to win even some second- ary place in her regard. After that he thought he would be willing to go into a monastery. He had arrived a day earlier than he was expected, and there was only Mrs. Allard to meet him, in the first in- stance, for his father and brother were at their place of business, and Miss Holden, with the children, were in the school-room. After short and hurried greetings he interrupted his chagrined mother’s exclamations upon his improved ap- pearance by quickly asking: “"Where’s Lucy ?” “In the school-room, Ed, but don’t be too impatient to see her. Play a little indifference if you want—” “Oh, no; that’s all over, mother. But I’ve got the most wonderful thing to tell her, and I must see her immedi- ately. They’ll be here in five minutes.” *'Who—who, my son?” said the mother, catching hold of him, as he started to run up stairs. “ Don’t go up. IT’ll send for her. But who is it that’s coming ?” ecomicbooks com