He had to cool his heels in the depot for some time, as the train was late, and it was fully an hour after its usual time when it finally rolled into the station.
There were several day coaches and but one parlor car, and Joe made his way straight toward this, knowing that Reggie, who looked for the best in everything, would travel in no other.
In the first few who came down the steps he noted no familiar figure, and he was beginning to think that Reggie for some reason had deferred his trip when he caught sight of that young man coming leisurely from the Pullman. If he had not seen the face he would have had a moral certainty that it was Reggie, for he was dressed in an extreme of style that was not at all common in the quiet little town of Riverside.
Reggie was an amiable young man who could not by any stretch of imagination be described as an intellectual giant. Many in fact would have had no hesitation in classing him as a “lightweight.” But he had many qualities that redeemed his foppishness, chief among which, in Joe’s estimation, was that he was a rabid baseball “fan,” and above all was the brother of Mabel. This last would alone have been capable, like charity, of covering a multitude of sins.
He had a tiny little moustache curled up at the ends that gushing girls would have described as “darling,” his clothes were a suit of English tweeds, and he had an accent and a vocabulary that he made as English as possible.
“Hullo, old top!” he exclaimed, as he saw Joe. “I’m awfully glad to see you, don’t you know. It was no end good of you to come down to meet me, especially as I hadn’t told you just when I was coming.”
“That’s all right, Reggie,” smiled Joe, as he grasped his hand cordially. “I knew you must have been rather cut up when you sent that telegram and forgot to tell me the train you were taking. But it seems like old times to see you again. How’s every one down at Goldsboro?”
“Fine as silk,” responded Reggie. “If I hadn’t had to rush off in such a hurry, I’d have brought Mabel along with me just for the trip. She’s awfully anxious to see your sister, Clara, don’t you know. It’s astonishing how those girls have taken to each other.”
“Clara feels the same way,” responded Joe warmly. “She’s done little else but talk of Mabel since the last time she was here. But give me your check, old man, and I’ll attend to your baggage. Of course you’ll stop with us while you are here. That goes without saying.”
Reggie made a feeble protest as a matter of form, saying that he ought to go to the hotel, but he readily submitted to be overruled by Joe. The latter tossed the check to the station hackman with instructions to get Reggie’s valise, and when this was done the two friends took the hack and were whirled through the quiet streets to Joe’s home.