"Oh, Rufus! That was not what you said before? Why, that is not until another day!"
The woman on the couch held herself motionless by a strong effort of will. This was not the tone of a happy wife! She was certain now that something was wrong besides a few hours of delay. This was more like the outbreak of a woman half afraid of the man who was supposed to be caring for her.
"It is beastly luck," the man said again. "Something is always the matter on this confounded branch road! If you hadn't been staying in such an out of the way place, we should have been saved all this. Still, I don't understand why we should make it any more uncomfortable than it is. You ought to be resting quietly, instead—"
Her voice interrupted him, louder than it had been before. "I cannot rest: I cannot! I can only think of my mother's utter dismay and—and terror when she hears—"
"H-sh!" The man's sibilant whisper was sudden and fierce!
No wonder the girl started, and cried out in fright: "Oh, what is it!"
He bent over her and spoke lower.
"It is nothing at all, my dear, except that you are utterly tired out and your nerves are on edge. But you must be careful what you say. That confounded eavesdropper has planted herself as close to us as she could, and may get the idea from your words that I am a fiend of some kind. Thank goodness, though, she has gone to sleep, at last! I must say they are taking an unaccountable time to get that room ready."
"That room!" repeated the still frightened voice. "There are two rooms, of course?"
"Of course," he repeated hastily, "but I could wait for mine, you know."