“I know who he is,” she declared. “His name's Williams and him and his
wife's stoppin' at the Restabit. They never meant to stay there only one
night, but his automobile blowed up or busted out somethin' and they had
to send to Boston to get a new one. It's a dreadful expensive kind of
a one, the auto is, one of them--them Pieced-Arrows, all upholstery
and drapery window curtains and places to put bouquets and your feet in
winter to warm 'em--your feet, I mean, not the bouquets--and--”
“There, there, Primmie,” said Martha. “That will do. For mercy sakes,
how did you find out all that?”
“Their chauffeur told me. I know him, too. Him and me was introduced
last night when he stopped in to get a drink of water. His name is
Kelly, and he--”
“Wait a minute. When you and he were introduced, you say? Who introduced
you?”
“Why, he did, Miss Martha. You see, he was comin' along by and he see
me out settin' on the side steps, you know. And he stopped and he says:
'You look lonesome' he says. 'Well,' says I, 'I may LOOK so, but I
ain't; my savin' soul, no!' Then he wanted to know if he couldn't have a
drink of water and, of course--”
“Yes, I see--of course. I think you had better sit in the house this
evenin', Primmie.”
The “Pieced-Arrow” car, with Mr. Kelly on the driver's seat and Mr. and
Mrs. Williams inside, left East Wellmouth at the end of that week. Yet
once more before the season closed Galusha fancied that he caught a
glimpse of that car's owner. The time was the first week in September
and Galusha, returning later than usual along the path from South
Wellmouth, saw two figures walking along the beach of the inlet. They
were a good way off, but one certainly did resemble Williams as he
remembered him. The brisk step was like his and the swing of the heavy
shoulders. The other figure had seemed familiar, too, but it disappeared
behind a clump of beach-plum bushes and did not come out again during
the time that Galusha remained in sight. On reflection the latter
decided that he was mistaken. Of course, Williams could not be one of
the pair, having left the Cape. It was too dark to see plainly; and,
after all, it made little difference whether it was he or not. Mr. Bangs
stopped speculating on the subject and promptly forgot it entirely.
On the morning after Labor Day there was a general exodus of city
sojourners from the Inn and on September 15 it closed its doors. The
weather was still beautiful and mild, even more so than during the
previous month, but East Wellmouth's roads and lanes were no longer
crowded. The village entered upon its intermediate season, that autumn
period of quiet and restful beauty, which those who know and love the
Cape consider most delightful of the year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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