Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/210

200 and Alice entered, followed by her dog, a pretty Russian poodle.

"Is my father here?" she said.

And the strain upon the nerves of the company was broken by her voice. The men rose to their feet with a deep breath of relief, some bidding her come in, others seizing the moment of disturbance to slip out of the room, glad to escape the unusual atmosphere of awkwardness. Edward stood beside the door and let them pass. They slunk by him as if he were the judge and they the condemned. Some said, "Good-night." One muttered he would see him in the morning, with a secret resolution to be up and catch an early train before any one was moving; another had to give orders for an excursion next day; a couple, feeling indisposed, went to order breakfast in their rooms. All passed without the offer of a hand, till only Alice and her father were left.

The young man and the old faced each other.

"Well, sir, and you?" The young man spoke bitterly.

The other moved towards the door.