yes. Then a composite
stare became fixed upon Suggs's troubled lineaments. He arose, shrugged,
knitted his brows, and coughed.

"There is something in what my wife has said," he began, "and, on the
whole, it may be that we ought to wait a little while before we take
this thing up. The whole country is rife with it, and Brother Whaley is
bound to hear it. He may act rash--in fact, now that I think of it, he
will be sure to do it, and I'm going to be frank and say here and now
that I'd rather not handle matches around as big a powder-can as this
one is. So if you will bring in the cider and cakes, Sister Suggs, I'll
adjourn this meeting _sine die_. By the way, that's Latin, isn't it,
Professor?"

"Yes," the Professor answered, warmly grateful for being applied to,
"but I'd prefer the less common and more erudite term of _re infecta_."

"Which means," replied Suggs, without intending to joke, "that we may be
infected again?"

"Oh no, not that, by any means!" the Professor responded. "You quite
miss the point. You see, my worthy brother, in the Latin language--"

But the cider and cake was being brought in; the men were rising to
receive the glasses which were tinkling on a tray, and good humor and
smug rectitude prevailed.

CHAPTER XXIX

One morning Tilly was occupied in the little front yard of her home.
Some rose-bushes needed attention, and with a pair of large scissors she
was pruning the branches and cutting the weeds away with a garden
trowel. Suddenly, happening to glance toward the town, she noticed one
of the street-hacks approaching. There was no doubt that it was headed
for the cottage, and a sudden qualm of alarm passed over her. Indeed,
she feared that some accident might have happened to John, for he had
told her that he was at work on a scaffold to which large stones were
being hoisted. The negro cabman seemed to be in a hurry, for he was
lashing his horse vigorously.

The cab stopped at the gate. The door was opened and Richard Whaley
stepped out. He wore his best suit of clothes, but it was badly wrinkled
and covered with dust. His black-felt hat was crushed, and its broad
brim had been pulled down over his eyes. Tilly heard him order the man
to wait, and the tone of his voice sent a shock of terror through her.
She had never heard him speak like that before, nor had she beheld such
a look in his haggard face. His whole form drooped and quivered as with
palsy as he came toward the gate.