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〃Go away；〃 said the judge； in a low voice； fumbling the head of his
stick。
〃Why； what's up？〃 asked Bittridge； and he managed to get in front of
Kenton and stay him at a point where Kenton could not escape。 It was a
corner of the room to which the old man had aimlessly tended； with no
purpose but to avoid him：
〃I wish you to let me alone； sir；〃 said Kenton at last。 〃I can't speak
to you。〃
〃I understand what you mean； judge；〃 said Bittridge； with a grin； all the
more maddening because it seemed involuntary。 〃But I can explain
everything。 I just want a few words with you。 It's very important； it's
life or death with me； sir；〃 he said； trying to look grave。 〃Will you
let me go to your rooms with you？〃
Kenton made no reply。
Bittridge began to laugh。 〃Then let's sit down here； or in the ladies'
parlor。 It won't take me two minutes to make everything right。 If you
don't believe I'm in earnest I know you don't think I am； but I can
assure youWill you let me speak with you about Miss Ellen？〃
Still Kenton did not answer； shutting his lips tight； and remembering his
promise to his wife。
Bittridge laughed； as if in amusement at what he had done。 〃Judge； let
me say two words to you in private！ If you can't now； tell me when you
can。 We're going back this evening； mother and I are； she isn't well；
and I'm not going to take her to Washington。 I don't want to go leaving
you with the idea that I wanted to insult Miss Ellen。 I care too much
for her。 I want to see you and Mrs。 Kenton about it。 I do； indeed。 And
won't you let me see you； somewhere？〃
Kenton looked away； first to one side and then to another； and seemed
stifling。
〃Won't you speak to me！ Won't you answer me？ See here！ I'd get down on
my knees to you if it would do you any good。 Where will you talk with
me？〃
〃Nowhere！〃 shouted Kenton。 〃Will you go away； or shall I strike you
with my stick？〃
〃Oh； I don't think；〃 said Bittridge； and suddenly； in the wantonness of
his baffled effrontery； he raised his hand and rubbed the back of it in
the old man's face。
Boyne Kenton struck wildly at him； and Bittridge caught the boy by the
arm and flung him to his knees on the marble floor。 The men reading in
the arm…chairs about started to their feet； a porter came running； and
took hold of Bittridge。 〃Do you want an officer； Judge Kenton？〃 he
panted。
〃No； no！〃 Kenton answered； choking and trembling。 〃Don't arrest him。
I wish to go to my rooms； that's all。 Let him go。 Don't do anything
about it。〃
〃I'll help you； judge；〃 said the porter。 〃Take hold of this fellow；〃 he
said to two other porters who came up。 〃Take him to the desk； and tell
the clerk he struck Judge Kenton； but the judge don't want him arrested。〃
Before Kenton reached the elevator with Boyne； who was rubbing his knees
and fighting back the tears； he heard the clerk's voice saying； formally；
to the porters； 〃Baggage out of 35 and 37〃 and adding； as mechanically；
to Bittridge： 〃Your rooms are wanted。 Get out of them at once！〃
It seemed the gathering of neighborhood about Kenton； where he had felt
himself so unfriended； against the outrage done him； and he felt the
sweetness of being personally championed in a place where he had thought
himself valued merely for the profit that was in him； his eyes filled；
and his voice failed him in thanking the elevator…boy for running before
him to ring the bell of his apartment。
VIII。
The next day； in Tuskingum； Richard； Kenton found among the letters of
his last mail one which he easily knew to be from his sister Lottie； by
the tightly curled…up handwriting； and by the unliterary look of the
slanted and huddled address of the envelope： The only doubt he could have
felt in opening it was from the unwonted length at which she had written
him； Lottie usually practised a laconic brevity in her notes； which were
suited to the poverty of her written vocabulary rather than the affluence
of her spoken word。
〃Dear Dick〃 ＇her letter ran； tripping and stumbling in its course＇；
〃I have got to tell you about something that has just happened here；
and you needent laugh at the speling； or the way I tell it； but just
pay attention to the thing itself； if you please。 That disgusting
Bittridge has been here with his horrid wiggy old mother； and momma
let him take Ellen to the theatre。 On the way home he tried to make
her promise she would marry him and at the door he kissed her。 They
had an awful night with her hiseterics； and I heard momma going in
and out； and trying to comfort her till daylight； nearly。 In the
morning I went down with poppy and Boyne to breakfast； and after I
came up； father went to the reading…room to get a paper； and that
Bittridge was there waiting for him； and wanted to speak with him
about Ellen。 Poppa wouldent say a word to him； and he kept
following poppa up； to make him。 Boyne says be wouldent take no for
an ansir； and hung on and hungon； till poppa threatened to hitt him
with his cane。 Then he saw it was no use； and he took his hand and
rubbed it in poppa's face； and Boyne believes he was trying to pull
poppa's nose。 Boyne acted like I would have done； he pounded
Bittridge in the back； but of course Bittridge was too strong for
him； and threw him on the floor； and Boyne scraped his knee so that
it bledd。 Then the porters came up； and caught Bittridge； and
wanted to send for a policeman； but father wouldent let them； and
the porters took Bittridge to the desk and the clerk told him to get
out instantly and they left as soon as old Wiggy could get her
things on。 I don't know where they went； but he told poppa they
were going home to…day any way。 Now； Dick； I don't know what you
will want to do； and I am not going to put you up to anything； but I
know what I would do； pretty well； the first time Bittridge showed
himself in Tuskingum。 You can do just as you please； and I don't
ask you to believe me if you're think I'm so exciteable that I cant
tell the truth。 I guess Boyne will say the same。 Much love to
Mary。 Your affectionate sister；
〃Lottie。
〃P。 S。Every word Lottie says is true； but I am not sure he meant
to pull his nose。 The reason why he threw me down so easily is； I
have grown about a foot； and I have not got up my strength。 BOYNE。
〃This is strictly confidential。 They don't know we
are writing。 LATTIE。〃
After reading this letter； Richard Kenton tore it into small pieces； so
that there should not be even so much witness as it bore to facts that
seemed to fill him with fury to the throat。 His fury was； in agreement
with his temperament； the white kind and cold kind。 He was able to keep
it to himself for that reason； at supper his wife knew merely that he had
something on his mind that he did not wish to talk of； and experience had
taught her that it would be useless to try making him speak。
He slept upon his wrath； and in the morning early； at an hour when he
knew there would be no loafers in the place； he went to an out…dated
saddler's shop； and asked the owner； a veteran of his father's regiment；
〃Welks； do you happen to have a cowhide among your antiquities？〃
〃Regular old style？〃 Welks returned。 〃Kind they make out of a cow's
hide and use on a man's？〃
〃Something of that sort；〃 said Richard； with a slight smile。
The saddler said nothing more； but rummaged among the riff…raff on an
upper shelf。 He got down with the tapering； translucent； wicked…looking
thing in his hand。 〃I reckon that's what you're after； squire。〃
〃Reckon it is； Welks；〃 said Richard； drawing it through his tubed left
hand。 Then he buttoned it under his coat； and paid the quarter which
Welks said had always been the price of a cowhide even since he could
remember； and walked away towards the station。
〃How's the old colonel〃 Welks called after him； having forgotten to ask
before。
〃The colonel's all right；〃 Richard called back； without looking round。