The thought of this
sent the fire of resentment racing through Crosby's brain, and he fairly
gasped with the longing to get at the bottom of the case. His only hope
now lay in sending a telegram to Mr. Rolfe, commanding him to meet Mrs.
Delancy when her train reached Chicago, and to lay the whole matter
before her.
Before Austin could make his exit the voices of women were heard outside
the door and an instant later two ladies entered. The farmer attempted
to turn them back, but the younger, taller, and slighter of the
newcomers cried:
"I just couldn't go without another look at the horses, Bob."
Crosby, on the beam, did not fail to observe the rich, tender tone of
the voice, and it would have required almost total darkness to obscure
the beauty of her face. Her companion was older and coarser, and he
found delight in the belief that she was the better half of the
disagreeable Mr. Austin.
"Good-afternoon, Mrs. Delancy!" came a fine masculine voice from
nowhere. The ladies started in amazement, Mr. Austin ground his teeth,
the dog took another tired leap upward; Mr.
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