Page:Hopkinson Smith--Tom Grogan.djvu/220

 he swallowed the tumblerful of whiskey and disappeared from O'Leary's, a few hours before.

The president rapped for order, and announced that the board was ready to sign the contract with Thomas Grogan for the hauling and delivery of the broken stone required for public highways.

There was no response.

“Is Mrs. Grogan here?” asked the president, looking over the room and waiting for a reply.

“Is any one here who represents her?” he repeated, after a pause, rising in his seat as he spoke.

No one answered. The only sound heard in the room was that of the heavy step of a man mounting the stairs.

“Is there any one here who can speak for Mrs. Thomas Grogan?” called the president again, in a louder voice.

“I can,” said the man with the heavy tread, who proved to be the foreman at the brewery. “She won't live till mornin'; one of her horses kicked her and broke her skull, so McGaw told me.”

“Broke her skull! My God! man, how do