“Hello, Joe,” said Hunch. “Bruce here?”
Cartier hesitated.
“Yes, I guess he's upstairs.”
“I want to see him.”
“Well; say, Hunch, come in the parlor a minute. I want to talk to you.”
“What's the matter?”
“Well, you know Bruce came down yesterday morning, and 'long about noon I guess they quarrelled a little. Me and my wife, we didn't listen, but we couldn't help hearing Bruce talk. And then Bruce went out——”
“Oh,” said Hunch, “drunk?”
“Not so bad as I've seen him, but he come in kind of ugly, and he's got some up there—brought it back with him. Seems kind of too bad. I didn't feel quite 's if I could do anything. You see 't ain't really none of my business.”
Hunch went upstairs and knocked at the door. There was a stir inside, and he could hear Bruce grumbling and Mamie whispering. Then Mamie opened the door a few inches. When she looked at Hunch, the color left her face and she leaned against the door.