II-V

It was late when they returned from the farm.
Gordon left the buggy at the Courthouse. The
thought of his dwelling, with Lettice's importunate
fancies and complaints, was distasteful to him.
A long-drawn-out evening in the monotonous sitting
room, with the grim form of Mrs. Caley in the background,
was insupportable. There was no light in
the office of the _Bugle_, but there was a pale yellow
blur in the lower windows of Peterman's hotel. It
might be that a drummer had arrived, and was entertaining
a local circle with the pungent wit of the
road; and Gordon made his way toward the hotel.

It was a painted, wooden structure, two stories in
height, with a wing that ran back from the road.
The rooms in the latter section were reached from
an outside, uncovered gallery, gained by a flight of
steps at the back. Contrary to his expectation no
one was in the office; a lamp shone on an empty
array of chairs. But some one was on the gallery
above; he could see a white skirt through the railing,
make out the dark blot of a head upon the night.
The illumination from within shone on his face.

[[175]]

p174 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p175w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p176

v?