Then he seemed to see the cavaliers, brilliant and brave,
riding out to the encounter. Now, in the same dim and fanciful way, he
beheld them stretched, still and dead, upon the plain.
CHAPTER II
"_Thou--drugging pain by patience._"
Arnold
"Laces cleaned, and fluting and ruffling done here,"--that was what the
little sign swinging outside the little green door said. And, coming
under it into the cosey little rooms, you felt this was just the place
in which to leave things soiled and torn, and come back to find them, by
some mysterious process, immaculate and whole.
Two rooms, with folding-doors between, in which through the day stood a
counter, cut up on the one side into divers pigeon-holes rilled with
small boxes and bundles, carefully pinned and labelled,--owner's name,
time left, time to be called for, money due; neat and nice as a new pin,
as every one said who had any dealings there.
The counter was pushed back now, as always after seven o'clock, for the
people who came in the evening were few; and then, when that was out of
the way, it seemed more home-like and less shoppy, as Mrs. Franklin said
every night, as she straightened things out, and peered through the
window or looked from the front door, and wondered if "Abram weren't
later than usual," though she knew right well he was punctual as
clock-work,--good clock-work too,--when he was going to his toil or
hurrying back to his home.
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