“I don't know. You read it. Mebbe you can tell me what to do. Seems if she ought to help a little, somehow.” Hunch leaned against the wall, under the bracket lamp, and read the letter. Then he laid it on the bureau and stood stropping his razor on the palm of his hand. Finally he turned to the mirror and went on shaving. “What do you think, Hunch?” asked Bruce, after a long silence. “I dunno.” “Tell me something, Hunch. I got to do something.” “Shut up a while. Lemme think.” When he had finished shaving, Hunch said: “To-day's Thursday, ain't it?” “Guess so.” “Look here, Bruce, you write her a letter. Tell her I'm coming down Sunday.” “You, Hunch----?” “Yes, I'm going down. Tell her, we'll see if we can't fix it up somehow.” Bruce looked up at him. “Seems to me you're kind of anxious to see my wife.” Hunch turned on him. “Look here, Bruce. Do you want to know why I'm going?” Bruce nodded slowly. “It's 'cause if I gave you any money to go down there you'd blow it in and make a fool of yourself. You ain't fit to have a wife, that's why. You owe me money now that I give you for your wife and you soaked it in on jags. Don't you talk to me. Understand?” Bruce stood by the window, looking out into the dark. Hunch was bending over the washbowl and splashing water on the floor. He groped for the towel. Bruce said: “What you got mad about all of a sudden?” Hunch's face was buried in the towel. Bruce watched him. “What you going to say to her, Hunch?” “I dunno.” “Say, you ain't going to say nothing about me, are you?” Hunch glanced at him contemptuously, and began to hone his razor. Bruce stood around for a while, then moved slowly toward the door. “Where're you going?” “I dunno. Thought I might go up town. Guess there ain't much of anything going on.” “You come back.” Bruce laughed nervously. “Ain't mad, are you, Hunch?” “No, I ain't mad. Better write that letter, I guess.” “That's so. I was going to do that, wasn't I. I kind of forgot it.” He sat at the table and took up the pen clumsily. “I don't know just what to say, Hunch.” “That's your business.” “Don't be mean, Hunch.” “You shut up and write that letter. I don't care what you say.” When he had written it, and before sealing the envelope, Bruce hesitated and looked around at Hunch. But Hunch had turned his back and was honing without a word, so Bruce sealed it. “It's wrote, Hunch. I told her----” “Give it to me. I'll mail it in a minute. You be here now when I get back.” CHAPTER XII--HUNCH AND MAMIE |HUNCH went down to Liddington Sunday morning on the combination freight and passenger train. Bruce had come to the station with him, and stood looking after the train for a long time after it had pulled away. Hunch saw him through the rear window.