Meanwhile the judge, after some apology, lit his pipe and told long stories of the storms of early days and of odd freaks of the wind.

He talked on calmly, the picture of repose, and blew rings above his head, but Helen saw that one of his big slippers beat an unceasing little tattoo on the carpet.

She sat with fixed eyes, in silence, holding Minnie's hand tightly; and her face was colorless, and grew whiter as the slow hours dragged by.
Every moment Mr.Willetts became more restless, though assuring the ladies he had no anxiety regarding Mr.Harkless; it was only his own dereliction of duty that he regretted; the boys would have the laugh on him, he said.

But he visibly chafed more and more under the judge's stories; and constantly rose to peer out of the window into the wrack and turmoil, or uneasily shifted in his chair.

Once or twice he struck his hands together with muttered ejaculations.