But he made no effort to join them; it was happiness enough to contemplate the approaching solution of his difficulties, and say to himself triumphantly, "This time to-morrow!" and he began joyously to play, "Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon," rendering carefully all the quavers in that quavering air.
Mr.Denner's meditations made him late at the rectory, and he felt Mrs.
Dale look sternly at him; so he made haste to deal, sitting well forward in his chair, under which he tucked his little feet, and putting down each card with nervous care.

His large cuffs almost hid his small, thin hands, and now and then he paused to rub his thumb and forefinger together, that the cards might not stick.
But Mr.Denner did not play well that night; Miss Deborah looked at him with mild reproach, and was almost angry when he answered her with an absent smile.
The evening seemed very long to Mr.Denner, and even when the party had said "Good-night" Mr.Dale was slow about getting off; he put his wife into the carriage, and then stopped to ask Dr.Howe if he had the first edition of "Japhet in Search of a Father"?
"In search of a father!" Mr.Denner thought, as he stood waiting by the steps,--"how can he be interested in that ?" At last the front door closed, and Mr.Dale and Mr.Denner walked silently down the lane in the starlight, the lawyer's little heart beating so with excitement, that he had a suffocated feeling, and once or twice put his hand to his throat, as though to loosen his muffler.
Mr.Dale, still absorbed in his first edition, took swinging strides, the tails of his brown cloth overcoat flapping and twisting about his long, thin legs.

Mr.Denner had now and then almost to break into a trot to keep up with him.
Mr.Dale walked with his hands clasped behind him, and his stick under his arm; his soft felt hat was pulled down over his eyes, so that his keeping the path was more by chance than sight.

He stopped once to pluck a sprig from the hawthorn hedge, to put between his lips.

This gave Mr.
Denner breath, and a chance to speak.
"I think I will walk home with you, Henry," he said.