"I was, sir," said one of the men, unwillingly.
"Did you lose sight of the house?--Yes! I see you did."
"Only for a minute, sir. An infernal blackguard of a soldier
came in--"
"That will do," said Bashwood the younger. "I know what the
soldier did, and who sent him to do it. She has given us the slip
again. You are the greatest ass living. Consider yourself
dismissed." With those words, and with an oath to emphasize them,
he left the coffee-shop and returned to the cab.
"She's gone!" cried his father. "Oh, Jemmy, Jemmy, I see it in
your face!" He fell back into his own corner of the cab, with
a faint, wailing cry. "They're married," he moaned to himself;
his hands falling helplessly on his knees; his hat falling
unregarded from his head. "Stop them!" he exclaimed, suddenly
rousing himself, and seizing his son in a frenzy by the collar
of the coat.
"Go back to the hotel," shouted Bashwood the younger to the
cabman. "Hold your noise!" he added, turning fiercely on his
father. "I want to think."
The varnish of smoothness was all off him by this time. His
temper was roused. His pride--even such a man has his pride!
--was wounded to the quick.
Pages:
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081
1082
1083
1084
1085
1086
1087
1088
1089
1090
1091
1092
1093
1094
1095
1096