The Argosy — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

200 Roger Bevere. “Oh no; last year. Lizzie—by the way,’ broke off Scott, stopping again and searching his pocket, “I’ve got a note from her for Bevere. You can give it him.” The words nearly scared away my senses. A note from Lizzie to Bevere! ‘Why then she must know he is here!” I cried. ‘‘You don’t understand,” quietly said Scott, giving me a note from his pocket-book. ‘‘A day or two ago, I met Lizzie near the Bell- and-Clapper. She ——” ‘She is well enough to be out, then !” ‘Ves, At times she is as well as you are. Well, I met her, and she began to give me a message for her husband, which I could not then wait to hear. So she sent this note to me later, to be delivered to him when we next met. I had not time to go to him yesterday, and here the note is still.” It was addressed ‘Mr. Bevary.” I pointed out the name to Scott. ‘‘ Does she not know better, think you ?” ‘Very likely not,” he answered. ‘‘A wrong letter, more or less, in a name, signifies but little to one of Lizzie’s standard of education. It is not often, I expect, she sees the name on paper, or has to write it. Fare you well, Ludlow. Remember me to Bevere.” Scott had hardly disappeared when they met me. I said nothing “of having seen him. After treating Tottams to some tarts and a box of bonbons, we set off home again; the winter afternoon was closing, and it was nearly dark when we arrived. Getting Roger into his room, I handed him the note, and told him how I came by it. He showed me the contents. ‘DEAR RoGER.—When you where last at home, you said you should not be able to spend Christmas with me, so I am thinking of trying a little jaunt for myself. I am well now and mean to keep so, and a few days in the country air may help me and set me up prime. I inscribe this to let you know, and also to tell you that I shall pay my journey with the quarter’s rent you left, so you must send or bring the sum again. Aunt Dyke has got the rumaticks fine, she can’t come bothering me with her lectures quite as persistent as usual. Wishing you the compliments of the season, I remain, Your affectionate wife, LizZIk.” “Gone into Essex, I suppose; she has talked sometimes of her cousin there,” was all the remark made by Bevere. And he set the note alight, and sent it blazing up the chimney. Of courseI did not mention Scott’s fancy about the red-gold hair. II, SunpAy. We crossed the waste land in the morning to the little church I have spoken of. <A few cottages stood about it, and a public-house with a big sign, on which was painted a yellow bunch of wheat, and the words The Sheaf o’ Corn. It was bitterly-cold weather, the Eomichooks,. co m