Missed his
wife--pretty excuse! Indecent, I call it!"
The speaker was the little wire-haired man; and emotion, deep and angry,
stirred in Mr. Bosengate. That ill-bred little cur! He gripped the edge
of the table with both hands.
"I think it's d-----d natural!" he muttered. But almost before the words
had left his lips he felt dismay. What had he said--he, nearly a colonel
of volunteers--endorsing such a want of patriotism! And hearing the
commercial traveller murmuring: "'Ear, 'ear!" he reddened violently.
The wire-headed man said roughly:
"There's too many of these blighted shirkers, and too much pampering of
them."
The turmoil in Mr. Bosengate increased; he remarked in an icy voice:
"I agree to no verdict that'll send the man back to prison."
At this a real tremor seemed to go round the table, as if they all saw
themselves sitting there through lunch time. Then the large grey-haired
man given to winking, said:
"Oh! Come, sir--after what the judge said! Come, sir! What do you say,
Mr. Foreman?"
Gentleman Fox--as who should say 'This is excellent value, but I don't
wish to press it on you!'--answered:
"We are only concerned with the facts.
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