was to long intervals of idleness； was fast becoming bored。
The tread of mud…muffled boots on the veranda； and the entrance of
two men； offered a momentary excitement。 He recognized in the
strangers two prominent citizens of Cottonwood； and their manner
bespoke business。 One of them proceeded to the desk； wrote a
despatch； and handed it to the other interrogatively。
〃That's about the way the thing p'ints；〃 responded his companion
assentingly。
〃I reckoned it only squar to use his dientical words？〃
〃That's so。〃
The first speaker turned to the operator with the despatch。
〃How soon can you shove her through？〃
The operator glanced professionally over the address and the length
of the despatch。
〃Now；〃 he answered promptly。
〃And she gets there？〃
〃To…night。 But there's no delivery until to…morrow。〃
〃Shove her through to…night； and say there's an extra twenty left
here for delivery。〃
The operator； accustomed to all kinds of extravagant outlay for
expedition； replied that he would lay this proposition with the
despatch； before the San Francisco office。 He then took it and
read itand re…read it。 He preserved the usual professional
apathy；had doubtless sent many more enigmatical and mysterious
messages；but nevertheless； when he finished； he raised his eyes
inquiringly to his customer。 That gentleman； who enjoyed a
reputation for equal spontaneity of temper and revolver； met his
gaze a little impatiently。 The operator had recourse to a trick。
Under the pretence of misunderstanding the message； he obliged
the sender to repeat it aloud for the sake of accuracy； and
even suggested a few verbal alterations； ostensibly to insure
correctness； but really to extract further information。
Nevertheless； the man doggedly persisted in a literal transcript of
his message。 The operator went to his instrument hesitatingly。
〃I suppose；〃 he added half…questioningly； 〃there ain't no chance of
a mistake。 This address is Rightbody； that rich old Bostonian that
everybody knows。 There ain't but one？〃
〃That's the address；〃 responded the first speaker coolly。
〃Didn't know the old chap had investments out here；〃 suggested the
operator； lingering at his instrument。
〃No more did I；〃 was the insufficient reply。
For some few moments nothing was heard but the click of the
instrument； as the operator worked the key； with the usual
appearance of imparting confidence to a somewhat reluctant hearer
who preferred to talk himself。 The two men stood by； watching his
motions with the usual awe of the unprofessional。 When he had
finished； they laid before him two gold…pieces。 As the operator
took them up； he could not help saying；
〃The old man went off kinder sudden； didn't he？ Had no time to
write？〃
〃Not sudden for that kind o' man；〃 was the exasperating reply。
But the speaker was not to be disconcerted。 〃If there is an
answer〃 he began。
〃There ain't any；〃 replied the first speaker quietly。
〃Why？〃
〃Because the man ez sent the message is dead。〃
〃But it's signed by you two。〃
〃On'y ez witnesseseh？〃 appealed the first speaker to his comrade。
〃On'y ez witnesses；〃 responded the other。
The operator shrugged his shoulders。 The business concluded； the
first speaker slightly relaxed。 He nodded to the operator； and
turned to the bar…room with a pleasing social impulse。 When their
glasses were set down empty； the first speaker； with a cheerful
condemnation of the hard times and the weather； apparently
dismissed all previous proceedings from his mind； and lounged out
with his companion。 At the corner of the street they stopped。
〃Well； that job's done；〃 said the first speaker； by way of
relieving the slight social embarrassment of parting。
〃Thet's so；〃 responded his companion； and shook his hand。
They parted。 A gust of wind swept through the pines； and struck a
faint Aeolian cry from the wires above their heads； and the rain
and the darkness again slowly settled upon Cottonwood。
The message lagged a little at San Francisco； laid over half an
hour at Chicago； and fought longitude the whole way； so that it was
past midnight when the 〃all night〃 operator took it from the wires
at Boston。 But it was freighted with a mandate from the San
Francisco office； and a messenger was procured； who sped with it
through dark snow…bound streets； between the high walls of close…
shuttered rayless houses； to a certain formal square ghostly with
snow…covered statues。 Here he ascended the broad steps of a
reserved and solid…looking mansion； and pulled a bronze bell…knob；
that somewhere within those chaste recesses； after an apparent
reflective pause； coldly communicated the fact that a stranger was
waiting withoutas he ought。 Despite the lateness of the hour；
there was a slight glow from the windows； clearly not enough to
warm the messenger with indications of a festivity within； but yet
bespeaking； as it were； some prolonged though subdued excitement。
The sober servant who took the despatch； and receipted for it as
gravely as if witnessing a last will and testament； respectfully
paused before the entrance of the drawing…room。 The sound of
measured and rhetorical speech； through which the occasional
catarrhal cough of the New…England coast struggled； as the only
effort of nature not wholly repressed； came from its heavily…
curtained recesses； for the occasion of the evening had been the
reception and entertainment of various distinguished persons； and；
as had been epigrammatically expressed by one of the guests； 〃the
history of the country〃 was taking its leave in phrases more or
less memorable and characteristic。 Some of these valedictory
axioms were clever； some witty； a few profound； but always left as
a genteel contribution to the entertainer。 Some had been already
prepared； and； like a card； had served and identified the guest at
other mansions。
The last guest departed； the last carriage rolled away； when the
servant ventured to indicate the existence of the despatch to his
master； who was standing on the hearth…rug in an attitude of
wearied self…righteousness。 He took it； opened it； read it； re…
read it； and said；
〃There must be some mistake！ It is not for me。 Call the boy；
Waters。〃
Waters； who was perfectly aware that the boy had left； nevertheless
obediently walked towards the hall…door； but was recalled by his
master。
〃No matterat present！〃
〃It's nothing serious； William？〃 asked Mrs。 Rightbody； with languid
wifely concern。
〃No； nothing。 Is there a light in my study？〃
〃Yes。 But； before you go； can you give me a moment or two？〃
Mr。 Rightbody turned a little impatiently towards his wife。 She
had thrown herself languidly on the sofa； her hair was slightly
disarranged； and part of a slippered foot was visible。 She might
have been a finely…formed woman； but even her careless deshabille
left the general impression that she was severely flannelled
throughout； and that any ostentation of womanly charm was under
vigorous sanitary SURVEILLANCE。
〃Mrs。 Marvin told me to…night that her son made no secret of his
serious attachment for our Alice； and that； if I was satisfied； Mr。
Marvin would be glad to confer with you at once。〃
The information did not seem to absorb Mr。 Rightbody's wandering
attention； but rather increased his impatience。 He said hastily；
that he would speak of that to…morrow； and partly by way of
reprisal； and partly to dismiss the subject； added
〃Positively James must pay some attention to the register and the
thermometer。 It was over 70 degrees to…night； and the ventilating
draught was closed in the drawing…room。〃
〃That was because Professor Ammon sat near it； and the old
gentleman's tonsils are so sensitive。〃
〃He ought to know from Dr。 Dyer Doit that systematic and regular
exposure to draughts stimulates the mucous membrane； while fixed
air over 60 degrees invariably〃
〃I am afraid； William；〃 interrupted Mrs。 Rightbody； with feminine
adroitness； adopting her husband's topic with a view of thereby
directing him from it；〃I'm afraid that people do not yet
appreciate the substitution of bouillon for punch and ices。 I
observed that Mr。 Spondee declined it； and； I fancied； looked
disappointed。 The fibrine and wheat in liqueur…glasses passed
quite unnoticed too。〃
〃And yet each half…drachm contained the half…digested substance of
a pound of beef。 I'm surprised at Spondee！〃 continued Mr。
Rightbody aggrievedly。 〃Exhausting his brain and nerve force by
the highest creative efforts of the Muse； he prefers perfumed and
diluted alcohol flavored with carbonic acid gas。 Even Mrs。
Faringway admitted to me that the sudden lowering of the
temperature of the stomach by the introduction of ice〃
〃Yes； but she took a lemon ice at the last Dorothea Reception； and
asked me if I had observed that the lower animals refused their
food at a temperature over 60 degrees。〃
Mr。 Rightbody again moved impatiently towards the door。 Mrs。
Rightbody eyed him curiously。
〃You will not write； I hope？ Dr。 Keppler told me to…night that
your cerebral symptoms interdicted any prolonged mental strain。〃
〃I must consult a few papers；〃 responded Mr。 Rightbody cur