"
The one who met Aunt Harriet was Medora Phillips, and the meeting was
brief. Medora had heard from Amy Leffingwell of Cope's absence from his
class-room. She herself became concerned; she felt more or less responsible
and possibly a bit conscience-stricken. "Next time," she said, "I shall try
to have the ventilation right; and I think that, after this, I shall keep
to birch beer."
Medora called up Amy at the music-school, one afternoon, at about four. She
assumed that the day's work was over, told Amy she was "going around" to
see Bertram Cope, and asked her to go with her. "You may act as my
chaperon," she said; "for who knows where or how I shall find him?"
As they neared the house a colored man came out, carrying a small trunk to
a mud-bespattered surrey. "What! is he going?" said Medora, with a start.
"Well, anyway, we're in time to say good-bye." Then, "What's the matter,
Jasper?" she asked, having now recognized the driver and his conveyance.
"Got a lady who's gettin' away on the four forty-three."
"Oh!" said Medora, with a gasp of reassurance.
Cope's aunt said good-bye to him up stairs and was now putting on her
gloves in the lower hall, in the company of the landlady.
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