OCR Text |
Show page 64 When he was hurt in a brawl in the poolroom, Elizabeth was the first person to show concern. An ironxvorker became belligerent after losing and Hardcastle received a cut over his eye. He appeared at the Hensons bloodstained, his clothes in tatters. Mrs. Henson, Elizabeth, and Bessie were sitting in the front room. Elizabeth had Hardcastle's head in her hands, straining on tiptoe to examine his wound, before her mother or Bessie made a move. Bessie shouldered Elizabeth aside and looked at his head herself. She was contemptuous, and accused him of seeking sympathy instead of properly going to a doctor. Hardcastle turned xvithout speaking and left the house, to get his head bandaged professionally. Next day he was morose and stayed around the Henson home reading detective stories. Elizabeth prepared him two sandwiches and a glass of milk for lunch. When Bessie came in at six he had perked up and was amusing Elizabeth with card tricks. Bessie flounced to their room. This was the pattern for several days. Bessie worked hard in her tearoom. She would come in at six or seven to find her husband on the porch or propped up in bed reading. Hardcastle was in better health than he had been in some time, but Bessie's eyes would narrow and her mouth would settle into hard lines. She usually had a stinging remark for him. Viola Henson now wished the Hardcastles xvould move, and told her husband so. Henson agreed that renting them the room may have been a mistake, but he x*as reluctant to turn them out. They paid their rent promptly, kept their room clean, and Mrs. |