Roxy Hastings — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

aa Peek oo fe ROXY HASTINGS. 25 part of the squire, a seal put on, and it awaited only Charles’ signature and acknowledgment to make it complete. While this laborious process was going on the young man’s attention had been diverted by a thin, pale, pretty, blue-eyed girl of about sixteen or seventeen years, who had not taken her seat at the crowded supper-table until one of the other young women had finished her meal and had made way for her. He heard her called Roxy, and he could not be mistaken about the air of melancholy upon her features, nor about the listless, uninterested way in which she went about her work of clearing off the table, as soon as she had finished her hasty meal. No one seemed to help her in this duty, and in the dis- charge of it she passed frequently very near to where Charley sat listening and replying to the conversation of the speculators. His curiosity became awakened in regard to her; for her figure, face, and motions all proclaimed her of a gentler lineage than that of the coarse people by whom she was surrounded, and whose drudge she seemed to be. Several times his eye mét that of the young girl, and once, when conversation ran highest about the closing bargain, she gazed so fixedly and earnestly at him fora moment that Charley thought she was about to speak. Then her cheek suddenly fiushed, and she turned away and left the room. “We're all ready now, I believe,” said Sharp—‘‘that is, if Sligh hasn’t backed down. He’s aslippery fellow,” he added, laughing, ‘‘and I never guite know where to find him.” ‘“*T’ll give the five hundred,” said Shgh. “And fifty,” said Charley, taking up the pen and dipping itinto the ink. ‘‘That’s what you offered, you know.” ‘““Well, I won’t stand about it, since we’ve dickered so long.” Lee drew the deed straight before him, and Sharp took - outa roll of bills. Something brushed against Charley’s feet; and turning about he saw little Roxana, who had re-entered the room with a light step, and who hada wisp in her hand with | which she had made a feint of brushing up some crumbs from the door. “Did you drop this?” she said, in a sweet, trembling voice, at the same time handing to the young man a slip of 5) (a(e) ~GCOMIEHOO