Page:Anne's house of dreams (1920 Canada).djvu/310

 Why didn’t he tell me? He must have seen I didn’t know him.”

“He wouldn’t say a word about it—he’d just enjoy the joke. Don’t worry over snubbing him—he’ll think it fun. Yes, Marshall’s shaved off his beard at last and cut his hair. His party is in, you know. I didn’t know him myself first time I saw him. He was up in Carter Flagg’s store at the Glen the night after election day, along with a crowd of others, waiting for the news. About twelve the ’phone came through—the Liberals were in. Marshall just got up and walked out—he didn’t cheer or shout—he left the others to do that, and they nearly lifted the roof off Carter’s store, I reckon. Of course, all the Tories were over in Raymond Russell’s store. Not much cheering there. Marshall went straight down the street to the side door of Augustus Palmer’s barber shop. Augustus was in bed asleep, but Marhall hammered on the door until he got up and come down, wanting to know what all the racket was about.

“Come into your shop and do the best job you ever did in your life, Gus,’ said Marshall. ‘The Liberals are in and you’re going to barber a good Grit before the sun rises.’

“Gus was mad as hops—partly because he’d been dragged out of bed, but more because he’s a Tory. He vowed he wouldn’t shave any man after twelve at night.