Page:Wilson - The Boss of Little Arcady (1905).djvu/87

 and Solon Denney was still silent, still secretive, still confident, but, alas! still inactive so far as we could observe. I may say that we lost faith in him as the barren weeks came and went. We came to believe that his assured bearing was but a shield for his real despair.

Having given up hope, some of us reached a point where we could view the whole affair as a jest. It became a popular diversion to enter the establishment of the ever serious Westley Keyts and whisper secretively to him that Solon Denney haad found a diplomatic way to rid the town of Potts. But this never moved Westley.

"Once bit—twice shy!" would be his response as he returned to slicing steaks.