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His scoffing smile showed for an instant. "Alone with me too! Most improper!" "I was thinking we might miss the way," Anne returned with dignity. "I wonder shall we risk it?" She turned to him as if consulting him, but Nap's face was to the sky. "That is for you to decide," he said. "We might do it. The storm won't break at present." "It will be violent when it does," she said. He nodded.
For the first time Nap's eyes looked at her intently, searched her closely, unsparingly. She faced the scrutiny bravely, but she trembled under it. At the end of a lengthy pause he spoke. "Are you going to faint?" "No," she answered quickly. "I never faint. Only only I do feel rather sick."
She saw that he had not slept for many hours. Though he smiled at her, there was a grey look about his lips that made her wonder if he were in pain. "Sit down," he said gently. "It's nothing. Only another bad night. I can't expect to sleep soundly always." "How disappointing!" Dot murmured. "Not surprising though. I had an exciting day yesterday. You heard of Nap's return?" "Yes."
But so overwhelmed was she for the moment that she was unaware of any presence till Nap's voice spoke to her, and she started to find him close to her, within reach of her hand. She lifted her white face then, while mechanically she groped for the letter. It had fallen to the ground. He picked it up. "What is it?" he said, and she thought his voice sounded harsh. "You have had bad news?"
His thick lips were tightly closed, his big hands hovered with unaccustomed uncertainty over the pasteboards. "Quit your kidding," he replied. "I don't believe cards was invented in Nap's day. Was they? It's a shame a fellow can't have a little admiration for a great leader like Nap without all you funny boys jollying him about it. That boy sure knew how to handle the voters.
After a while Lucas spoke again, and this time his lips moved perceptibly. "It's such a long way back, Boney, no end of a trail and all up hill." The flare of the lamp was full upon Nap's face; it threw the harsh lines into strong relief, and it seemed to Anne, watching, that she looked upon the face of a man in extremity. His voice too was that Nap's voice pleading so desperately?
"But I regret to say he didn't appreciate my kindness, and I soon saw that he was in no state to come to you even if he would. So I left him and came away." "Ah!" Again that faint exclamation that was like the half-uttered cry of a woman's heart. "He wasn't wasn't rude to you, I hope?" Nap's teeth showed for an instant. He made no reply. "Mr.
Capper was watching him keenly. "Because I have a notion that you are wanted." Nap stirred restlessly, and was silent. "How long are you going to be away?" Capper asked. "I don't know." "For long?" Nap's hand jerked impatiently from the doctor's hold. "Possibly for ever." Capper's long fingers began to crack. He looked speculative.
Nap looked up at her, and for an instant only their eyes met; but in that instant understanding dawned upon Nap's face, and with it a strangely tender smile that made it almost gentle. Dot declared afterwards that the birthday-party had been all she could have desired. Everyone had been nice to everyone, and the baby hadn't been rude to his uncle, a calamity she had greatly feared.
"Well, I don't know," he said drily; "you looked daggers at me because I kicked your aunt's pet." "I couldn't help it, sir," I said; "Nap has always been such good friends with me that I didn't like to see him hurt." "Then I beg Nap's pardon," he said smiling. "I thought he was only a useless pet; but if he can be a good friend to you he is a better dog than I thought for."
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