"My soul an' body," he gasped. "I clean forgot to leave it. Must be here in my pocket."
Wildly he began to search.
"You're a fine head of the fire department, you are!" roared Elisha. "If you'd put your mind on town business 'stead of on Marcia Howe, we'd all be better off. Traipsing over here to see her in the middle of the day, palmin' off that telegram as an excuse—"
If Eleazer had been purple before, he was livid now.
"Well, you better go straight back to the village fast as you can leg it an' carry the key with you," went on the accuser. "Don't wait for nothin'. I'll explain matters to Marcia."
"But I've got to see her. I've got to speak to her private," protested the wretched official.
"Private? Ain't you been talkin' to her private an' hour or more? What else have you got to say to her?"
"I want to give her somethin'."
"Give it to me. I'll hand it to her."
Elisha's extended palm was not to be ignored.