That's poor consolation
now."
In the afternoon of the third day Torpenhow heard Dick calling for him.
"All finished!" he shouted. "I've done it! Come in! Isn't she a beauty? Isn't
she a darling? I've been down to hell to get her; but isn't she worth it?"
Torpenhow looked at the head of a woman who laughed,--a full-lipped, hollow-
eyed woman who laughed from out of the canvas as Dick had intended she would.
"Who taught you how to do it?" said Torpenhow. "The touch and notion have
nothing to do with your regular work. What a face it is! What eyes, and what
insolence!" Unconsciously he threw back his head and laughed with her. "She's
seen the game played out,--I don't think she had a good time of it,--and now
she doesn't care. Isn't that the idea?"
"Exactly."
"Where did you get the mouth and chin from? They don't belong to Bess."
"They're--some one else's. But isn't it good? Isn't it thundering good? Wasn't
it worth the whiskey? I did it. Alone I did it, and it's the best I can do." He
drew his breath sharply, and whispered, "Just God! what could I not do ten
years hence, if I can do this now!--By the way, what do you think of it, Bess?"
The girl was biting her lips. She loathed Torpenhow because he had taken no
notice of her.
Pages:
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027
1028
1029
1030
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
1039
1040
1041