He seemed to carry the burden of a secret that he yearned to divulge.

As for Ellen, she was deadlocked in breathless suspense.

All her emotions waited for the end.

She begged Sprague to hurry.
"Wal, I wish I could skip the next chapter an' hev only the last to tell," rejoined the old man, and he put a heavy, but solicitous, hand upon hers....

Simm Bruce haw-hawed loud an' loud....