Young People's Pride by Stephen Vincent Benet

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.