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It was only a moment later when the door which he had softly closed behind him was thrown violently open, and Roger Hapgood, his hat crushed in his hand, hastened out, ran down the steps, and with no word of farewell disappeared into the darkness. Conniston gazed after him in wonderment a moment, and then turned toward the open door behind him.
'Well, I used to be, I said. She didn't smile. What the dickens was up? 'I used to be. I always thought I was. My name's Hapgood. "'Perhaps you'd better come in. "You know, it was perfectly extraordinary. Her voice was as sad as her face. I stepped in. What on earth was I going to hear? Sabre dying? Wife dying? Air-raid bomb fallen on the house and everybody dead?
Hapgood said: "Did I say to you last time, after that Brighton business, that the man had crashed, that the roof had fallen in on him? Did I say that? May I never again use superlatives till I've turned over the page to make sure they weren't comparatives.
Men are not invited." "I know. But I've got to go there with you. You ain't goin' off travelin' by yourself." "I want to know! How long are you goin' to be gone?" "I'm not sure. Three or four days probably." "And I've got to stay here alone?" "Why, you won't be alone. Cousin Percy will be here, and there's Azuba." "Yes, and that everlastin' Hapgood, I suppose. Say, Serena, have you GOT to go?"
"But I don't understand " "I'm sorry. Is there anything else?" "No. That's all." Even Conniston's sanguine temperament was not proof to the shock of his father's message. He knew his father too well to hope that he would change his mind now. His eyes showed a troubled anxiety when he went slowly back to confront Hapgood. "Well, what's the good news?" cried Hapgood.
It would not be unnatural in a young man of eighteen to express as much as this, and, we are not sure that he said any more. The next day Tom was down with a slow fever, induced by fatigue and over-exertion. He lay upon his cot for a fortnight, before he was able to go out again; but he was frequently visited by Hapgood and other friends in the regiment.
At a hearing February 4 the following spoke in favor: Dr. Sherwood, Mrs. Fred Blanchard, Mrs. Joanna Croft Read, Senators Steele, Vilas and M. J. Hapgood; in opposition, Senators Carr and Felton, Miss Margaret Emerson, Mrs. Wayne Read, Mrs. H. C. Humphrey, David Conant, Representatives O'Dowd, Cudworth and Hopkins. On February 5 the bill passed by 120 ayes, 90 noes.
Having a desire for companionship, and not craving that of Hapgood in his present mood, Conniston stepped in at the low door, and, going to the bar, called for a glass of beer. There were half a dozen men, among whom he recognized the proprietor of the "hotel" and the men with whom he had been playing cards, and also the cowboys who had eaten at the other table.
And now take this to Mrs. Hapgood, and tell her she will need to allow a good large seam when she cuts it, for Molly is taller than you." "Yes'm," said Polly meekly, as she held up her face for the kiss, without which she never left the house.
After school, she walked quickly home without waiting for the girls, and taking up a book, she sat for an hour, not speaking, not reading a word, but with her eyes fixed on the roof of the Hapgood house, going over and over the scenes of the noon, longing to run to Alan and beg his forgiveness, yet too proud to do so, so soon.
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