"
Billy Bosistow took a turn across the road, and, coming back, stuck his
hands in his pockets and stared up at the sign overhead.
"Well! And I, that was too honourable--" he began.
"So you was," agreed Abe, pulling out his pipe. "You can't think what a
comfort that is to me. But, as it turns out, 'twouldn't have made no
difference. For she see'd you last evenin', and she was tellin' me just
now that prison hadn't improved you. In fact she didn't like either
your looks or your behaviour."
I've heard that he was just in time to pop inside and bolt the door
after him. And now you know why Billy Bosistow and Abe Cummins could
never bear the sight of each other from that day. But there! you can't
be first and last too, as the saying is.
[1] Givet in the Ardennes. The river, of course, is the Meuse.
[2] Probably Briancon in the Hautes Alpes.
[3] Performers in a Christmas Play.
A TOWN'S MEMORY
A PENDANT TO THE FOREGOING
The returned Emigrant was not one of those who sometimes creep back to
Tregarrick and scan the folk wistfully and the names over the shops till
they bethink themselves of stepping up the hill to take a look at the
cemetery, and there find all they sought. This man stood under the
archway of the Pack-horse Inn (by A. Walters), with his soft hat tilted
over his nose, a cigar in his mouth, hands in his trouser pockets, and
legs a-straddle, and smoked and eyed the passers-by with a twinkle of
humour.
Pages:
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242