Edwards.
"Yes, I thank you," he replied.
"You were with General Green, perhaps?"
"Yes--that is--yes m'am."
"How is your mother's health?"
"Very well indeed,--that is, when--when she isn't sick. She is
generally sick."
"Indeed."
"Yes, but she's pretty well otherwise. How are you?" this last,
desperately.
"Oh, thanks, I'm quite well," Mrs. Edwards replied, with a slight
elevation of the eyebrows. Somehow he felt that he ought not to have
asked that, and then he made another desperate resolution to go home.
"I think they'll be looking for me at home," he said, tentatively
rising halfway from his chair. "Father isn't well, you see." He had a
vague feeling that he could not go unless they formally admitted the
adequacy of his excuse.
At that moment there came the noise of an axe from the green, with
shouts.
"What is that?" asked Mrs. Edwards of her husband, who entered from
the store at that moment.
"The rascals--that is--" he corrected himself with a glance at Perez,
"the men are chopping down the whippingpost to put on the bonfire. You
were not thinking of going so soon, Captain Hamlin?" he added with
evident concern.
"Yes, I think I will go," said Perez, straightening up and assuming a
resolute air.
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