The Argosy — page 285: what you’re looking at

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

204 The Story of Charles Strange. “And what do you think he is talking of now, Charles?” re- turned Lake. ‘‘ Of giving himself up.” ‘Giving himself up! What, to justice ?” Lake nodded. ‘‘ You know what Tom Heriot is—not much like other people.” ‘But why should he think of ¢ha¢t? It would end everything.” “I was on the point of asking him why,” said Lake. ‘* Whether I should have had a satisfactory answer, I cannot say; I should think he could not give one; but we were interrupted. Miss Betsy Lee came in.” “WhoP What?” I cried, starting from my chair. “The young lady you told me of who lives in Lambeth—Miss Betsy Lee. Sit down, Charley. She came over to bring him a pot of jelly.” : ‘Then he has let those people know where he is, Lake! Is he mad ?” “Mad as to carelessness,” assented Lake. “I tell you Tom Heriot’s not like other people.” ‘ He will leave himself no chance.” *‘She seems to be a nice, modest little woman,” said Lake, “‘and I’ll go bail her visit was quite honest and proper. She had made this jelly, she told Tom, and she and her father hoped it would serve to strengthen him, and her father sent his respects and hopes to hear that Captain Strange was feeling better.” ‘Well, Lake, the matter will get beyond me,” I said in despaiz. ‘Only a word dropped, innocently, by these people in some dan- gerous quarter, and where will ‘Tom be ?” ‘That’s just it,” said Lake, ‘ Policeman Wren is acquainted with them.” ‘Did you leave the girl there?” ‘No. Some rough man came into the room smoking, and sat down, evidently with the intention of making an evening of it; he lives in the same house and has made acquaintance with Tom, o” Tom with him. So I said good-night, and the girl did the same, and we went down together. ‘Don’t you think Captain Strange looks very ill, sir?’ said she as we got into the street. ‘I’m afraid he does,’ I answered. ‘I’m sure he does, sir,’ she said. ‘It’s a woful pity that somebody should be coming upon him for a big back debt just now, obliging him to keep quiet in a low quarter!’ So that is what Tom has told his Lambeth friends,” concluded Lake. Lake gave me the address in Southwark, and I determined to see Tom the next evening. In that, however, I was disappointed. One of our oldest clients, passing through London from the country on his way to Pau, summoned me to him on the Tuesday evening. But I went on Wednesday. ‘The stars were shining overhead as I traversed the silent street, making out Tom’s lodgings. He ECORNIECLIOOKS EO) m