Roxy Hastings — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

ROXY HASTINGS, = Bete “T will, I will.” * Poor Luke had nearly fainted at the sound of the turn- key’s voice, for he did not doubt that he was to be de- serted, and that some direful punishment would follow. His visions of wealth vanished, and despair nearly para- lyzed his powers But he was reassured by encouraging voices, and succeeded in getting off the smuggled suit, and in resuming his own garments before Lieutenant Lee and his jailer had finished their conversation. When they came forward they found him standing meekly at the door with his basket on his arm, waiting to be let out, the clothes*having been caught up, and secreted by several of the young officers. Disarmed of suspicion, and eager only to earn the large reward which had been offered him, the keeper was about to depart, when Alfred said, suddenly : : “Oh, Luke, you must not go till l have made a memo- randum of some more things I want you to buy. He can stay five or ten minutes yet, can’t he?” “Oh, yes, but not over ten minutes, for I’m to be relieved in about a quarter of an hour, and I don’t want him here after the other man comes.” “All right.” | “ Alfred did want quite a number of articles purchased, but what he chiefly wanted of Luke did not go down upon any memorandum. “Do you think,” he said, “that you could repeat this operation to-morrow, and bring mea suit for Mr. Hartley.” “No, sah. I dassent try dat ar agin; impossible, sah. I jis’ *scape wid my neck dis time. Dey hang me sure as dey cotch meatit. ’Sides, sah, it ain’t necessary, sah. Ef you get off you get off inde dark night. You come right to my house. I hab de clothes dar ready for you, and lI show you de way out of de city.” “Perhaps you are right. It might be an unnecessary risk. But how can I find your house ?”’ “T tell you, sah. You go right down to de river—ofi dis-a-way.”’ 66 Yes. 19 “When you come to de river, you’ll know dat?” “Why, yes, most likely.” “Well, den, you keep along up a stream dat-a-way, until yer come to a block of stores—six stores on to der side de road.” “Ves, I see,” said Alf, making a pencil memorandum, Gomichoo cS (elo)