The Argosy — page 204: what you’re looking at

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

The Ebony Box. 187 when talking with Miss Parslet about guineas, he fetched it to show to her; and slipped it into his pocket afterwards, where the police found it onthe Thursday. This was the substance of his first answer, and he repeated it now. Do you know who 1s said to be the father of lies, young man?” asked Justice Whitewicker in a solemn tone, suspecting that the prisoner was telling an out-and-out fable. “‘T have heard,” answered Sam. ‘‘ Have never seen him myself. Perhaps you have, sir.” At which a titter went round the court, and it put his worship’s back up. Sam went on to say that he had often thought of taking his guinea into wear and had now done it. And he gave the guinea a flick in the face of us all. Evidently little good could come of a hardened criminal like this ; and Justice Whitewicker, who thought nothing on earth so grand as the sound of his own voice from the bench, gave Sam a piece of his mind. In the midst of this a stir arose at the appearance of Maria Parslet. Mr. Chance led her in; her father, sad and shrinking as usual, walked behind them. Lawyer Cockermuth—and [ liked him for it—made a place for his clerk next to himself. Maria looked - modest, gentle and pretty. She wore black silk, being in slight mourning, and a dainty white bonnet. Mr. Dene was asked to take tea with them in the parlour on the Tuesday evening, as a matter of convenience, Maria’s evidence ran, in answer to questions, and she briefly alluded to the reason why. Whilst waiting together, he and she, for her father to come in, Mr. Dene told her of the finding of the ebony box of guineas at Mr. Cockermuth’s. She laughingly remarked that a guinea was an out- of-date coin now, and she was not sure that she had ever seen one. In reply to that, Mr. Dene said he had one by him, given him by an old uncle some years before ; and he went up stairs and brought it down to show to her. ‘There could be no mistake, Maria added to Mr. Whitewicker, who wanted to insinuate a word of doubt, and her sweet brown eyes were honest and true as she said it; she had touched the guinea and held it in her hand for some moments. “Held: it and touched it, did you, Miss Parslet?” retorted Lawyer Standup. ‘‘ Pray what appearance had it?” “It was a thin, worn coin, sir,” replied Maria; ‘thinner, I think, than a sovereign, but somewhat larger; it seemed to be worn thin at the edge.” . ** Whose image was on it P—what king’s ?” “George the Third’s. I noticed that. ” “Now don’t you think, young lady, that the accused took this marvellous coin from his pocket, instead of from some receptacle above stairs ?” went on Mr. Standup. “IT am quite sure he did not take it from his pocket when before me,” answered Maria, ‘He ran up stairs quickly, saying he would fetch the guinea: he had nothing in his hands then.” ECOMICOOOKS (CO)