Thomas

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1918. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... know well Rachel's little devices for extricating herself: all ^ery neat and cunning, to be sure! She started off walking alone to church, instead of waiting to drive with the rest, although it was raining. The rain accompanied us all the way back. I dropped Bat at High Wycombe station. I got rather tired of him on the journey. He kept whistling the first four bars of Grieg's Wedding March, at intervals, all day . I hope I shall never again hear that despairing jig as long as I live. It was a cloudy, cold August evening, and getting dark, when I reached home. The geraniums along the drive were all falling to pieces; the garden looked used up. The place seemed small and strange, somehow. The sensations of coming home were very different from the adventurous expectations with which I had driven up to so many houses during the past weeks. It was a relief to know I should find Nita in the house. My mother's persistent questionings would be hard to face out, but I was determined not to let it appear that anything had gone wrong. It was pleasant to meet Ben on the drive. He comes on Sunday evening to feed the dogs, and shut up the fowls. I told him to go back and carry in my things, and when I got out of Susan I threw out my legs and arms and tried to feel brisk and cheerful. My mother came out into the hall directly she heard me. "How late my son is," she said as she kissed me, in a voice that seemed an echo of long ago. "Oh, how well he looks! Come into the light! You have been enjoying yourself, I can see. Nita! Doesn't Thomas look well? Now tell me all about it. How are the Grahams?" Nita was standing with her foot on the fender, gazing into the fire, as I followed my mother through the open door of the drawing-room. "How d'y do, T.!" she said, smiling, as I went up a...