_His_ step at last! She heard him, even while she thought she was finishing a sentence; while her eye did pass over it, and her memory could mechanically have repeated it word for word, she heard him come in at the hall-door. Her quickened sense could interpret every sound of motion: now he was at the hat-stand--now at the very room-door. Why did he pause? Let her know the worst.
Yet her head was down over the book; she did not look up. He came close to the table, and stood still there, waiting till she should have finished the paragraph which apparently absorbed her. By an effort she looked up. "Well, John?"

His step at last! Her quickened sense could interpret every sound: now he was at the hat-stand - now at the very room-door. Why did he pause?
Yet her head was still down over the book. He came close to the table, and stood there, waiting till she should have finished her paragraph. With an effort she looked up.
'Well, John?'
