He felt completely balked.
But old as he was, he still had some of the tenacity of youth.

He was not willing to accept defeat without one more effort.

Going downtown as usual, he wandered again into the little dry-goods shop to see if the package had been sent.
Yes, it had gone, but the expressman had had some trouble with a drunken man who actually took the package out of his hands and didn't give it back without a squabble.

Strange how men can drink till they can't see, and so early in the morning, at that! Mr.Gryce's vigorous hunch dismissed summarily this expression of opinion as altogether feminine.

But he had something to say about the package itself, which kept the good woman waiting, though a customer or two demanded her attention.
"You'll think me a fussy old man," said he, "but I've worried about that package all night.