He would send them to her; and, away from him, surely what he should say would have an added force.
Yet he could not fix his mind upon his subject.

He found himself heavily conscious of the silence of the house; and by and by he rose and went up-stairs to their bedroom, standing drearily in the centre of the floor, and looking about at his own loneliness.

He lifted a bit of lace upon her dressing-table, and smoothed it between his fingers, noting the faint scent of orris which it held.

Again that strange, unreasonable fear of her absence seized him, and he was glad to go out and find some pressing occupation to forget it.
When he started (as he had had to do of late), alone, for prayer-meeting, his mind was dulled by its own pain of anxiety, and he went absently through the services, saying little, and "opening" the meeting as soon as he could.

After that, he sat with head bent and arms folded, scarcely hearing what was said.
Just before he pronounced the benediction, however, Elder Dean rose, and, stepping with elaborate quiet to the pulpit, handed him a note, and sat down again, covering his face with a big horny hand, and swinging one foot nervously.