Question

hearts and hands
by o.henry

1. in denver there was an influx of passengers into the coaches on the eastbound b. & m. express. in one coach there sat a very pretty young woman dressed in elegant taste and surrounded by all the luxurious comforts of an experienced traveler. among the newcomers were two young men, one of handsome presence with a bold, frank countenance and manner; the other a ruffled, glum - faced person, heavily built and roughly dressed. the two were handcuffed together.
2. as they passed down the aisle of the coach the only vacant seat offered was a reversed one facing the attractive young woman. here the linked couple seated themselves. the young womans glance fell upon them with a distant, swift disinterest; then with a lovely smile brightening her countenance and a tender pink tingeing her rounded cheeks, she held out a little gray - gloved hand. when she spoke her voice, full, sweet, and deliberate, proclaimed that its owner was accustomed to speak and be heard.
3. \well, mr. easton, if you will make me speak first, i suppose i must. dont you ever recognize old friends when you meet them in the west?\
4. the younger man roused himself sharply at the sound of her voice, seemed to struggle with a slight embarrassment which he threw off instantly, and then clasped her fingers with his left hand.
5. \its miss fairchild,\ he said, with a smile. \ill ask you to excuse the other hand; its otherwise engaged just at present.\

...
what assumptions can the reader make about the marshal?
○ he likes playing tricks on other people.
○ he feels guilty and embarrassed about transporting a prisoner.
○ he is observant and sensitive to other peoples feelings.
○ he believes the prisoner is innocent.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the marshal's behavior in "Hearts and Hands". The marshal pretends to be the prisoner to spare Mr. Easton's embarrassment (from the story's context, like how he handles the situation with the lady and the handcuffs).

Looking at the options:

• Option A (He likes playing tricks) is inaccurate as his action is kind, not trick - playing.
• Option B (He feels guilty and embarrassed about transporting a prisoner) doesn't fit as he's not the one embarrassed about transporting, but about Mr. Easton's situation.
• Option C (He is observant and sensitive to other people’s feelings) fits because he notices the awkwardness and acts to ease it by pretending to be the prisoner, showing he's aware of others' feelings.
• Option D (He believes the prisoner is innocent) is not supported by the story's context.

The marshal's action of pretending to be the prisoner to spare Mr. Easton's embarrassment shows he is observant of the situation and sensitive to Mr. Easton's (and the lady's) feelings. Other options are inconsistent with the story's context: A misinterprets his kind act as trick - playing; B misattributes the embarrassment; D has no support from the story.

Answer:

C. He is observant and sensitive to other people’s feelings.