Mrs. Townsend was shaking in
a nervous chill, Adrianna was almost fainting, Cordelia was in
hysterics. David Townsend stood glaring in a curious way at the
sign of the Blue Leopard. George stared at him with a look of
horror. There was something in his father's face which made him
forget everything else. At last he touched his arm timidly.
"Father," he whispered.
David turned and regarded him with a look of rage and fury, then
his face cleared; he passed his hand over his forehead.
"Good Lord! What DID come to me?" he muttered.
"You looked like that awful picture of old Tom Townsend in the
garret in Townsend Centre, father," whimpered the boy, shuddering.
"Should think I might look like 'most any old cuss after such
darned work as this," growled David, but his face was white. "Go
and pour out some hot tea for your mother," he ordered the boy
sharply. He himself shook Cordelia violently. "Stop such
actions!" he shouted in her ears, and shook her again. "Ain't you
a church member?" he demanded; "what be you afraid of? You ain't
done nothin' wrong, have ye?"
Then Cordelia quoted Scripture in a burst of sobs and laughter.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173