Mr. Tucker nodded mournfully. "Miss Hack-b.u.t.t," he said, slowly. "I saw her the other day, and what he can see in her I can"t think."
"Miss Hackb.u.t.t?" repeated the widow in a smothered voice. "Miss--" She got up and began to pace the room again.
"He must be blind," said Mr. Tucker, positively.
Mrs. Bowman stopped suddenly and stood regarding him. There was a light in her eye which made him feel anything but comfortable. He was glad when she transferred her gaze to the clock. She looked at it so long that he murmured something about going.
"Good-by," she said.
Mr. Tucker began to repeat his excuses, but she interrupted him. "Not now," she said, decidedly. "I"m tired. Good-night."
Mr. Tucker pressed her hand. "Good-night," he said, tenderly. "I am afraid the excitement has been too much for you. May I come round at the usual time to-morrow?"
"Yes," said the widow.
She took the advertis.e.m.e.nt from the table and, folding it carefully, placed it in her purse. Mr. Tucker withdrew as she looked up.
He walked back to the "George" deep in thought, and over a couple of pipes in bed thought over the events of the evening. He fell asleep at last and dreamed that he and Miss Hackb.u.t.t were being united in the bonds of holy matrimony by the Rev. Nathaniel Clark.
The vague misgivings of the previous night disappeared in the morning sunshine. He shaved carefully and spent some time in the selection of a tie. Over an excellent breakfast he arranged further explanations and excuses for the appeas.e.m.e.nt of Mrs. Bowman.
He was still engaged on the task when he started to call on her.
Half-way to the house he arrived at the conclusion that he was looking too cheerful. His face took on an expression of deep seriousness, only to give way the next moment to one of the blankest amazement. In front of him, and approaching with faltering steps, was Mr. Clark, and leaning trustfully on his arm the comfortable figure of Mrs. Bowman. Her brow was unruffled and her lips smiling.
"Beautiful morning," she said, pleasantly, as they met.
"Lovely!" murmured the wondering Mr. Tucker, trying, but in vain, to catch the eye of Mr. Clark.
"I have been paying an early visit," said the widow, still smiling. "I surprised you, didn"t I, Nathaniel?"
"You did," said Mr. Clark, in an unearthly voice.
"We got talking about last night," continued the widow, "and Nathaniel started pleading with me to give him another chance. I suppose that I am softhearted, but he was so miserable-You were never so miserable in your life before, were you, Nathaniel?"
"Never," said Mr. Clark, in the same strange voice.
"He was so wretched that at last I gave way," said Mrs. Bowman, with a simper. "Poor fellow, it was such a shock to him that he hasn"t got back his cheerfulness yet."
Mr. Tucker said, "Indeed!"
"He"ll be all right soon," said Mrs. Bowman, in confidential tones. "We are on the way to put our banns up, and once that is done he will feel safe. You are not really afraid of losing me again, are you, Nathaniel?"
Mr. Clark shook his head, and, meeting the eye of Mr. Tucker in the process, favored him with a glance of such utter venom that the latter was almost startled.
"Good-by, Mr. Tucker," said the widow, holding out her hand. "Nathaniel did think of inviting you to come to my wedding, but perhaps it is best not. However, if I alter my mind, I will get him to advertise for you again. Good-by."
She placed her arm in Mr. Clark"s again, and led him slowly away. Mr.
Tucker stood watching them for some time, and then, with a glance in the direction of the "George," where he had left a very small portmanteau, he did a hasty sum in comparative values and made his way to the railway-station.
THE DREAMER
DREAMS and warnings are things I don"t believe in, said the night watchman. The only dream I ever "ad that come anything like true was once when I dreamt I came in for a fortune, and next morning I found half a crown in the street, which I sold to a man for fourpence. And once, two days arter my missis "ad dreamt she "ad spilt a cup of tea down the front of "er Sunday dress, she spoilt a pot o" paint of mine by sitting in it.
The only other dream I know of that come true happened to the cook of a bark I was aboard of once, called the Southern Belle. He was a silly, pasty-faced sort o" chap, always giving hisself airs about eddication to sailormen who didn"t believe in it, and one night, when we was homeward-bound from Sydney, he suddenly sat up in "is bunk and laughed so loud that he woke us all up.
"Wot"s wrong, cookie?" ses one o" the chaps.
"I was dreaming," ses the cook, "such a funny dream. I dreamt old Bill Foster fell out o" the foretop and broke "is leg."
"Well, wot is there to laugh at in that?" ses old Bill, very sharp.
"It was funny in my dream," ses the cook. "You looked so comic with your leg doubled up under you, you can"t think. It would ha" made a cat laugh."
Bill Foster said he"d make "im laugh the other side of his face if he wasn"t careful, and then we went off to sleep agin and forgot all about it.
If you"ll believe me, on"y three days arterwards pore Bill did fall out o" the foretop and break his leg. He was surprised, but I never see a man so surprised as the cook was. His eyes was nearly starting out of "is head, but by the time the other chaps "ad picked Bill up and asked "im whether he was hurt, cook "ad pulled "imself together agin and was giving himself such airs it was perfectly sickening.
"My dreams always come true," he ses. "It"s a kind o" second sight with me. It"s a gift, and, being tender-"arted, it worries me terrible sometimes."
He was going on like that, taking credit for a pure accident, when the second officer came up and told "em to carry Bill below. He was in agony, of course, but he kept "is presence of mind, and as they pa.s.sed the cook he gave "im such a clip on the side of the "ead as nearly broke it.
"That"s for dreaming about me," he ses.
The skipper and the fust officer and most of the hands set "is leg between them, and arter the skipper "ad made him wot he called comfortable, but wot Bill called something that I won"t soil my ears by repeating, the officers went off and the cook came and sat down by the side o" Bill and talked about his gift.
"I don"t talk about it as a rule," he ses, ""cos it frightens people."
"It"s a wonderful gift, cookie," ses Charlie Epps.
All of "em thought the same, not knowing wot a fust-cla.s.s liar the cook was, and he sat there and lied to "em till he couldn"t "ardly speak, he was so "oa.r.s.e.
"My grandmother was a gypsy," he ses, "and it"s in the family. Things that are going to "appen to people I know come to me in dreams, same as pore Bill"s did. It"s curious to me sometimes when I look round at you chaps, seeing you going about "appy and comfortable, and knowing all the time "orrible things that is going to "appen to you. Sometimes it gives me the fair shivers."
"Horrible things to us, slushy?" ses Charlie, staring.
"Yes," ses the cook, nodding. "I never was on a ship afore with such a lot of unfortunit men aboard. Never. There"s two pore fellers wot"ll be dead corpses inside o" six months, sitting "ere laughing and talking as if they was going to live to ninety. Thank your stars you don"t "ave such dreams."
"Who-who are the two, cookie?" ses Charlie, arter a bit.
"Never mind, Charlie," ses the cook, in a sad voice; "it would do no good if I was to tell you. Nothing can alter it."
"Give us a hint," ses Charlie.