The young fellow gave a furious puff at his cigar. The smoke came full in Anderson's face. “Passed here the other evening with two other young ladies while you were sitting here,” young Eastman remarked, in a curious tone. It was full of pain, but it had a reckless, devil-may-care defiance in it also.
“Yes,” said Anderson, “I think you did. About a week ago, wasn't it?”
“Week ago yesterday. Well, I suppose you've heard the news. It's all over town.”
“You mean—”
“She's engaged.”
Anderson felt bewildered. “Yes?” he replied, questioningly.
“She's engaged,” the young fellow repeated, with a sobbing sigh, which he ended in a laugh. “They all do it, sir.”
Anderson was too puzzled to say anything.
“Suppose you've heard about the man?” said Eastman, in a nonchalant voice. He inhaled the smoke from his cigar with an air of abstract enjoyment.
Anderson unassumedly stared at him. “Why, I thought it was—”