"I saw those who had, ten minutes before; won't that do?" he teased
her. "I found the Wright family just going to bed--where you ought to
be this minute. I said I had just stopped in to say how-do-you-do.
Samuel at once reproved me, because I hadn't been to evening church."
"And he--Sam? Was he--"
"He was in the house, up-stairs, his mother said. I asked about him
sort of casually, and she said he had just come in and gone up to his
room. His father made some uncomplimentary remarks about him. Samuel
oughtn't to be so hard on him," William said thoughtfully; "he said he
had told Sam that he supposed he might look forward to supporting him
for the rest of his life--'as if he were a criminal or an idiot.'
Imagine a father saying a thing like that!" William lifted his lantern
and turned the wick up. "Now, I'm only hard on him when he is a goose;
but his father--_What was that?_"
William King stood bolt upright, motionless, his lips parted. Mrs.
Richie caught at his arm, and the lantern swinging sharply, scattered
a flying shower of light; they were both rigid, straining their ears,
not breathing. There was no sound except the vague movement of the
leaves overhead, and faintly, from across the meadow--"_Bob-white!
bob-white!_"
"I thought--I heard--" the doctor said in a whisper. Helena, clutching
at his arm, reeled heavily against him.
"Yes. It was. That was what it was.
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