Sit down, Lige. You can't go for a while."
Nor could he. It was long before he could venture out; the storm raged and
roared without abatement; it was Carlow's worst since 'Fifty-one, the old
gentleman said. They heard the great limbs crack and break outside, while
the thunder boomed and the wind ripped at the eaves till it seemed the
roof must go. Meanwhile the judge, after some apology, lit his pipe and
told long stories of the storms of early days and of odd freaks of the
wind. He talked on calmly, the picture of repose, and blew rings above his
head, but Helen saw that one of his big slippers beat an unceasing little
tattoo on the carpet. She sat with fixed eyes, in silence, holding
Minnie's hand tightly; and her face was colorless, and grew whiter as the
slow hours dragged by.
Every moment Mr. Willetts became more restless, though assuring the ladies
he had no anxiety regarding Mr. Harkless; it was only his own dereliction
of duty that he regretted; the boys would have the laugh on him, he said.
But he visibly chafed more and more under the judge's stories; and
constantly rose to peer out of the window into the wrack and turmoil, or
uneasily shifted in his chair. Once or twice he struck his hands together
with muttered ejaculations. At last there was a lull in the fury without,
and, as soon as it was perceptible, he declared his intention of making
his way into town; he had ought to have went before, he declared,
apprehensively; and then, with immediate amendment, of course he would
find the editor at work in the "Herald" office; there wasn't the slightest
doubt of that; he agreed with the judge, but he better see about it.
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