"That pipe always was too strong." He turned away to the open window, feeling an irresistible need of distraction, of amusement, and he remained there resting on his elbows, listening and looking, trying to be interested.
It was toward the middle of the afternoon.

The morning mist was long since evaporated and the first faint puffs of the inevitable trade wind were just stirring the leaves of the eucalyptus across the street.

In the music-room of the white house the young lady of the family had opened the piano and was practising finger-exercises.

The scales and arpeggios following one another without interruption, came to his ears in a pleasant monotone.

A Chinese "boy" in a stiff blouse of white linen, made a great splashing as he washed down the front steps with a bucket of water and the garden hose.