Ashes to Ashes by Isabel Ostrander

"By Jove, old man, I forgot that I have had the gas and electricity turned off! " Storm's voice echoed back eerily, mockingly, from the silent rooms to where George had halted on the threshold. "The water is on still, though, thank the Lord! and the telephone, too. We'll need that in the morning to 'phone for a car to take us to the station, for we both forgot to tell that jitney driver to come back for us. -I know where there are a lot of candles upstairs. You wait here and I'll get them."

George stood obediently by the open door and heard Storm's fumbling footsteps pass up the stair. Then they died away into silence. The jitney had chugged off down the road, and only the sound of the night breeze rustling the vines on the veranda came to him. Unimaginative as he was, the house was so filled for him with memories of his friend's wife that it seemed to him a gentle presence slept there, waiting only for light and the sound of their voices to call it into being. He could not have spoken aloud at that moment to save his life, so profoundly stirred was he; and he wondered at Storm's fortitude. It was only a bluff, of course, a brave attempt to hide his breaking heart, and George felt a swift, strong wave of compassionate admiration for his friend. Poor old Norman!