Continually
hoping he would appear, Eugenia lingered until there was no longer
a shadow of excuse for tarrying, and then she arose to go, saying
as she reached the door, "Oh, now I think of it, Mr. Hastings has
a book in his library which I very much wish to borrow. Is he at
home?"
"No," answered Mrs. Leah, "he went to New York, Thursday morning,
on the early train."
"To New York!" repeated Eugenia, "for what? and when will he be
home?"
"He said he had important business," returned Mrs. Leah, adding
that "maybe he'd be home that night."
Eugenia had heard all she wished to know, and forgetting entirely
the _book_, bade Mrs. Leah good-morning, and walked away,
feeling in a measure relieved, for the _business_ which took
him so suddenly to New York, had undoubtedly some connection with
his failing to call at the hotel for her! He had never called upon
Sunday evening, but thinking that after so long an absence he
might do so now, she sat in state from six o'clock till nine,
starting nervously at every sound, and once, when sure she heard
him, running from the room, so he would not find her there, and
think she had been waiting for him.
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