The Argosy — page 210: what you’re looking at

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

The Ebony Box. 193 The lawyer was standing at the window, his hands in the pockets of his pepper-and-salt trousers, tinkling the shillings and sixpences there. Austin supposed he was not wanted, and shut them in. ‘‘T have been thinking of your case a good bit lately, Sam Dene,” began Mr. Chance, giving Sam a seat and sitting down himself; ‘and I should like to feel, if I can, more at a certainty about it, one way or the other.” “Yes, sir,” replied Sam. And you must please to note that manners in those days had not degenerated to what they are in these. Young men, whether gentle or simple, addressed their elders with respect ; young women also. ‘‘ Yes, sir,” replied Sam. ‘ But what do you mean about wishing to feel more at a certainty ?” ‘When I defended you before the magistrates, I did my best to convince them that you were not guilty: you had assured me you were not: and they discharged you. I believe my arguments and my pleadings went some way with them.” ‘‘T have no doubt of it, sir, and I thanked you at the time with all my heart,” said Sam warmly. ‘‘Some of my enemies were bitter enough against me.” “But you should not speak in that way—calling people your enemies!” reproved the lawyer. ‘‘ People were only at enmity with you on the score of the offence. Look here, Sam Dene—did you commit it, or did you not?” Sam stared. Mr. Chance had dropped his voice to a solemn key, his head was pushed forward, gravity sat on his face. No, sir. No.” The short answer did not satisfy the lawyer. ‘Did you filch that box of guineas out of Cockermuth’s room; or were you, and: are you, as you assert, wholly innocent?” he resumed. ‘Tell me the truth as before heaven. Whatever it be, I will shield you still.” Sam rose. ‘‘On my sacred word, sir, and before heaven, I have. told nothing but the truth. I did not take, or touch the box of guineas. J do not know what became of it.” Mr. Chance regarded Sam in silence. He had known young men, when under a cloud, prevaricate in a most extraordinary and un- blushing manner: to look at them and listen to them, one might: have said they were fit to be canonised. But he thought truth lay with Sam now. «Sit down, sit down, Dene,” he said. ‘I am glad to believe you. Where the deuce could the box have got to? It could not take flight through the ceiling up to the clouds, or down to the earth through the floor. Whose hands took it?” | “The box went in one of two ways,” returned Sam. “If the Captain did not fetch it out unconsciously, and lose it in the street, why somebody must have entered the parlour after I left it and carried off the box. Perhaps the individual who looked into the room when I was sitting there.” VOL, XXXV. O CON (A) LOOKS (GO