The Argosy — page 289: what you’re looking at

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

268 The Story of Charles Strange. We were interrupted by Lennard: who had come back on the previous day ; pale, and pulled down by his sharp attack of illness, but the same efficient man of business as ever. A telegram had been delivered, which he could not deal with without me. ‘Tl be off, then,” said the Major; ‘‘ I suppose I’m only hindering work. And I wish you well through your difficulties, Charles,” he added significantly. Good day, Mr. Lennard.” The Major was ready enough to wish (¢ha?¢, but he could not suggest any means by which it might be accomplished. ‘I should send him off to sea in a whaling-boat and keep him there,” was all the help he gave. Lennard stayed beyond time that evening ; and was ready in my private room to go over certain business with me that had transpired during my own absence. I could not give the necessary attention to it, try as earnestly as I would: Tom and /zs business kept dancing in my brain to the exclusion of other things. Lennard asked me whether I was ill. “No,” I answered ; ‘at least, not in body.” And as I spoke, the thought crossed me to confide the trouble to Lennard. He had seen too much trouble himself not to be safe and cautious, and per- haps he might suggest something. “Let Captain Heriot come to me,” he immediately said. ‘‘ He could not be safer anywhere. Sometimes we let our drawing-room floor; it is vacant now, and he can have it. My wife and my daughter Charlotte will attend to his comforts and nurse him, if that may be, into health. It is the best thing that can be done with him, Mr. Charles.” I saw that it was, seeming to discern all the advantages of the pro- posal at a grasp, and accepted it. We consulted as to how best to effect Tom’s removal, which Lennard himself undertook. I dropped a hasty note to “Mr. Turk,” to prepare him to be in readiness the following evening, and Lennard posted it when he went out. He had no sconer gone, than the door of my private room slowly opened, and, rather to my surprise, Leah appeared. ‘I beg your pardon, sir, for presuming to disturb you here,” she said; ‘‘ but I can’t rest. There’s some great trouble afloat; I’ve seen it in your looks and ways, sir, ever since Sunday. Is it about ' Me Tom?” “Well, yes, it is, Leah.” Her face turned white. ‘‘ He has not got himself taken, surely !” ‘“No; it’s not so bad as that—yet.” ‘Thank Heaven for it!” she returned. ‘“I knew it was him, and I’m all in a twitter about him from morning till night. I can’t sleep or eat for dreading the news that any moment may bring of bim. It seems to me, Mr. Charles, that one must needs be for ever in a twitter in this world; before one trouble is mended, another ECORMMIEOOOKS COI