He hurried himself and the still half-somnambulistic Ted through the
dining-room curtains, just in time to catch a last glimpse of Mrs.
Severance softly pressing with all her weight and strength against her side
of the door of the apartment as a man's quick short footsteps crossed the
hall in two strides, and after a second's pause, a key clicked into the
lock.
XXXVIII
Mrs. Severance, her whole weight against the door, felt it push at her
fiercely without opening, and, even in the midst of her turmoil, smiled.
Mr. Severance had never been exactly what one would call an athlete--
She slackened her pressure, little by anxious little. Her hand crept down
to the knob, then she jerked it sharply and stood back and Mr. Piper came
stumbling into the room, a little too fast for dignity. He had to catch
to her to save himself from falling but as soon as he had recovered his
balance he jerked his hands away from her as if they had taken hold of
something that hurt him and when he stood up she saw that his face was grey
all over and that his breath came in little hard sniffs through his nose.
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