Part 23 (1/2)

”I never dreamed of seeing you again.”

”n.o.body would,” chimed in Mr. Clark. ”When do you go back?”

”Back?” said the visitor. ”Where?”

”Australia,” replied Mr. Clark, with a glance of defiance at the widow.

”You must ha' been missed a great deal all this time.”

Mr. Tucker regarded him with a haughty stare. Then he bent towards Mrs.

Bowman.

”Do you wish me to go back?” he asked, impressively.

”We don't wish either one way or the other,” said Mr. Clark, before the widow could speak. ”It don't matter to us.”

”We?” said Mr. Tucker, knitting his brows and gazing anxiously at Mrs.

Bowman. ”We?”

”We are going to be married in six weeks' time,” said Mr. Clark.

Mr. Tucker looked from one to the other in silent misery; then, s.h.i.+elding his eyes with his hand, he averted his head. Mrs. Bowman, with her hands folded in her lap, regarded him with anxious solicitude.

”I thought perhaps you ought to know,” said Mr. Clark.

Mr. Tucker sat bolt upright and gazed at him fixedly. ”I wish you joy,”

he said, in a hollow voice.

”Thankee,” said Mr. Clark; ”we expect to be pretty happy.” He smiled at Mrs. Bowman, but she made no response. Her looks wandered from one to the other-from the good-looking, interesting companion of her youth to the short, prosaic little man who was exulting only too plainly in his discomfiture.

Mr. Tucker rose with a sigh. ”Good-by,” he said, extending his hand.

”You are not going-yet?” said the widow.

Mr. Tucker's low-breathed ”I must” was just audible. The widow renewed her expostulations.

”Perhaps he has got a train to catch,” said the thoughtful Mr. Clark.

”No, sir,” said Mr. Tucker. ”As a matter of fact, I had taken a room at the George Hotel for a week, but I suppose I had better get back home again.”

”No; why should you?” said Mrs. Bowman, with a rebellious glance at Mr.

Clark. ”Stay, and come in and see me sometimes and talk over old times.

And Mr. Clark will be glad to see you, I'm sure. Won't you Nath-Mr.

Clark?”

”I shall be-delighted,” said Mr. Clark, staring hard at the mantelpiece.

”Delighted.”

Mr. Tucker thanked them both, and after groping for some time for the hand of Mr. Clark, who was still intent upon the mantelpiece, pressed it warmly and withdrew. Mrs. Bowman saw him to the door, and a low-voiced colloquy, in which Mr. Clark caught the word ”afternoon,” ensued. By the time the widow returned to the room he was busy building with the draughts again.