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It did not rouse the sleepers from the bench; neither did the new-comer's remark that it was a "deuce of a night" bring forth any argument we were one on that point. The train was late; the night agent told us that when he came out to shovel in more coal "she" was delayed by the storm. I leaned back and tried to be comfortable. After all, I thought, it might easily be worse.
That, and the discovery of the new-comer's identity, might prove to be of the utmost importance. "I can't explain now," he said hurriedly. "I'll see you tomorrow sometime. Don't do anything till you hear from me. Your life may depend on it and other people's lives that matter more." "Tell me who you are first," Clive said quickly, incautiously raising his voice.
The name murmured at the door had not reached my ears, and I was still wondering which of my child-friends had developed into this charming and fashionable young lady, when Tabitha burst into the room, flung her arms round the new-comer's neck, and exclaimed, "You darling, who would have expected you to turn up so charmingly, just when we didn't expect you!"
Eh, bless you for coomin'! I scarce reckoned he were wick, 'tis so long sin' we'n had a word of him." She was clasping the new-comer's hands now, and shaking them excitedly up and down, her eyes searching his face the while. "How is my lad?" she repeated. "He mun be a gradely mon now a gradely mon! Tis what he said hisself when he wur breeched. Dear o' me, I mind it well.
"Try some of this," handing his tobacco bag, as Laurence began to scratch out his empty pipe, "unless, that is, you haven't got over the new-comer's prejudice against the best tobacco in the world, the name whereof is Transvaal." "Thanks. No, I have no prejudice against it. On the contrary, as to its merits I am disposed to agree with you."
But almost at the same moment I saw a tall, stern gentleman appear from among the pine trees toward which Magglin was backing, for the keeper had presented his gun, evidently to take the labourer's attention, as I saw that, if matters went on in the way in which they were going, our companion would back right up into the new-comer's arms. "You stop, will you!" cried the keeper.
The new-comer's actions were characterised by a certain carelessness, as if he were going through a formula perfunctorily without admitting its necessity. He nodded to Mr. Jacquetot, and rather a pleasant smile flickered for a moment across his face. He was a singularly well-made man, of medium height, with straight, square shoulders and small limbs.
He was yet warm with a wordless gratitude at the Frenchman's cheer when a figure came lurching toward him and fell into the space Doret had vacated. This man was quite the opposite of the one who had just left; he was old and he was far from robust. He fell face downward and lay motionless. Impulsively Phillips rose and removed the new-comer's pack.
But, as he reclined to meditate upon the first landing, another man entered the hallway from without, ascended quickly, and Crailey became pleasantly conscious that two strong hands had lifted him to his feet; and, presently, that he was being borne aloft upon the new-comer's back.
They could not understand each other's speech, but by dint of signs and a few broken words of English occasionally introduced by the Chief, they managed to carry on some conversation. Quite a sensation was caused not only in the house but in the neighbourhood by the new-comer's arrival.
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