Just as this manœuvre was executed, up came Tom Durfy.
"How are you, Miss Riley?" said he, as he drew rein.
"Pretty well, thank you," said Biddy, putting her head and shoulders through the window, while the widow shrunk back into the corner of the car.
"How very sudden poor Mr. Flanagan's death was!—I was quite surprised."
"Yes, indeed," says Biddy. "I was just taking a little drive; good bye."
"I was very much shocked to hear of it," said Tom.
"'T was dreadful!" said Biddy.
"How is poor Mrs. Flanagan?" said Tom.
"As well as can be expected, poor thing! Good bye!" said Biddy, manifestly anxious to cut short the conference.
This anxiety was so obvious to Tom, who, for the sake of fun, loved cross-purposes dearly, that he determined to push his conversation further, just because he saw it was unwelcome.