Wint smiled at them amiably. “Good morning.”
“Congratulations!”
“Thanks.” Wint’s cheeks were burning. The men passed by, and he and Gergue started up the hill by a back street that led toward his home. Neither of them spoke. Presently they began to meet other men. One or two men scowled at Gergue, stared angrily at Wint; but for the most part they smiled covertly, and voiced congratulations. Their words seemed to Wint to mark covert jibes.
After a time the two came to a cross street that led toward town; and here Gergue halted and looked at Wint curiously. “Was there anything else?” he asked.
Wint shook his head.
“You wasn’t thinking, maybe, of walking uptown?”
“Not now.”
“Going on home, I guess.”
“Yes.”
Gergue nodded. “All right. When you come uptown, you might stop in and see me.”