'Women...!' The Senator drooped in his chair. Then looked up; braced himself; shouted, 'Here, boy! A bit more of the same!' When the glass was before him he drank, brightened a little, and resumed. 'Woman, my boy, is th' root--No, I will go farther! I will state that woman is th' root 'n' branch of all evil.'
Henry, with a muttered, 'Excuse me, Senator!' got out of the alcove and stepped outside the door. He stood on the door-step; took off his hat and pressed a hand to his forehead.
Across the street, near the side door of the hotel, stood an old-fashioned closed hack. The driver lay curled up across his seat, asleep. The horses stood with drooping heads.
Henry gazed intently at the dingy vehicle. Slowly his eyes narrowed. He looked again at his watch. Then he moved deliberately across the way and woke the cabman.
'Hey!' he cried, as the man fumblingly put on his hat and blinked up the street and down. 'Hey, you! What'll you take to drive to Sunbury?'
'Sunbury? Oh, that's a long way. And it's pretty late at night.'
'Oh, say I, that's twice too much! Why----'
Henry swallowed. He felt very daring. He had heard of fellows and girls missing the late train and driving out. But the amount usually mentioned was ten dollars. However...
He bent over the Senator, who was talking, still on the one topic, to a small picture just above Henry's empty seat.
'We're going home now, Senator. You'd better come with me.'
'Going home? No, not there. Not there. Back to the Senate, yes. Tha's different. But not home. If you knew what I've----'
Henry led him out. But first the Senator, with some difficulty in the managing, paid his check. Henry would have paid it, but hadn't nearly enough. It had never occurred to him that a single individual could spend so large a sum on himself within the space of less, considerably less, than three hours.
The cabman and Henry together got him into the hack.
'They are pop--popularly known as the weaker sex. All a ter'ble mistake, young man. They're stronger. Li'l do you dream how stronger--how great--how more stronger they are. Curious about words. At times one commands them with ease. Other times they elude one. Words are more tricky--few suspect--but women allure us only to destroy us. Women....'