The Argosy — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

128 A Tragedy. and he knew not where he should find another ten pounds to satisfy the insatiable Derrick. They proceeded along the pavement together, passing Oliver, who was slowly parading the gig up and down the street. His sad face— unusually sad it looked—had a sort of expectancy on it as he turned his gaze from side to side, lest by some happy chance it might catch the form of Emma Paul. Emma might be going to marry another ; but, all the same, Oliver could not drop her out of his heart. They disclaimed all recollection of the letter at the post-office. Had it been for a private individual it might have been remembered, but Mr. Paul had too many letters to allow of that, unless something special called attention to any one of them. Whether the letter in question had reached them by the Islip bag, or whether it had not, they could not say; but they could positively affirm that, if it had, it had been sent out to Mr. Paul. In returning they overtook the postman on his round, with the afternoon delivery: a young, active man, who seemed to skim over the ground, and was honest as the day. “Dale,” said lawyer Paul, ‘‘there has been a letter lost, addressed to me. I wonder whether you chanced to notice such a letter?” And he mentioned the details of the case. ‘One day is like another to me in its round of duties, you see, sir,” observed the man. ‘Sealed with a big red seal, you say, sir? Well, it might be, but that’s nothing for me to go by; so many of your letters are sealed, sir.” The lawyer returned to his office with Mr. Preen, and entered his own room. ‘Tom Chandler heard them and came swiftly through the door which opened from the clerks’ department, a smile of satisfaction on his face. ‘“‘T remember all about the letters that were brought in on Wednes- day week,” said he. ‘‘I can recall the whole of the circumstances ; they were rather unusual.” And what Thomas Chandler recalled, and proceeded to relate, will be told next month. JOHNNY LUDLOW. SOS SES ECORMIECMIOOLKS. (Ee)