Q 1.

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow-

“You’ll excuse me for speaking, miss, but I see you’re acquainted with the marshal here.If you’ll ask him
to speak a word for me when we get to the pen he’ll do it, and it’ll make things easier for me there. He’s
taking me to Leavenworth prison. It’s seven years for counterfeiting.”

a. Who is introduced as the marshal? What is your first impression of him? (3)

b. Explain the line— “It’s seven years for counterfeiting.” (3)

c. Why was Mr. Easton embarrassed on seeing Miss Fairchild? (3)

d. Give a brief description of Miss Fairchild. (3)

e. Who is the real marshal in the story? Why does he act like a criminal? (4)

Q 2. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow-

“Say, Mr. Marshal,” growled the glum-faced man. “This isn’t quite fair. I’m needing a drink, and haven’t
had a smoke all day. Haven’t you talked long enough? Take me in the smoker now, won’t you? I’m half
dead for a pipe.”

The bound travellers rose to their feet, Easton with the same slow smile on his face.

“I can’t deny a petition for tobacco,” he said, lightly. “It’s the one friend of the unfortunate. Good-bye,
Miss Fairchild. Duty calls, you know. He held out his hand for farewell.

a. Explain why the glum-faced man pretended to be the marshal. How does he make an excuse to leave
the train? (3)
b. What was Easton smiling for? (3)

c. Explain the line —“I can’t deny a petition for tobacco,[i]t’s the one friend of the unfortunate.” (3)

d. Give a brief character sketch of Mr. Easton. (3)

e. What is the theme of the story? (4)

Answer:1
a. Mr. Easton has been introduced as the marshal. He seems to be slightly embarrassed when Miss
Fairchild speaks to him, and wishes to shake hands with him. It is because he is handcuffed to a man
next to him.

b. The line means that the glum-faced man was being taken to Leavenworth prison, and had been
sentenced for seven years. His crime was that he had counterfeited something valuable, which was
considered to be a fraud.

c. Mr. Easton was embarrassed on seeing Miss Fairchild because he was handcuffed to a man next to
him, and he did not want Miss Fairchild to know his reality. He was the actual convict in the story, and
not the glum-faced man.

d. Miss Fairchild was a woman of manner and style. All she cared for was herself. She did not even take
care of her sick father and instead remained in Denver. She believed in looks, and felt that Easton was
surely the marshal since he was handsome. The glum-faced man was sure to be the convict for her, as
he was not a good looking person.

e. The glum-faced man is the real marshal in the story. He acts as the criminal to let Easton avoid
embarrassment in front of Miss Fairchild. Towards the end of the story, the readers see him in a new
light. He comes across as a person who is benevolent, compassionate, and understands fellow human
beings.

Answer:2
a. The glum-faced man pretended to be the marshal so that Easton did not suffer embarrassment, in
front of his acquaintance, Miss Fairchild. When both he and Easton were supposed to get out of the
train, he made an excuse that he needed to have a smoke, and asked Easton to take him to the smoker.

b. Easton smiled because he was able to avoid facing any embarrassment, in front of Miss Fairchild. The
glum-faced man had helped him come clear out of the difficult situation.

c. The line means that people who are unfortunate, they hardly get anything which can keep them
happy. It is tobacco that provides them with some amount of happiness and relaxation. Hence, Easton
tells Miss Fairchild that he has to accept the glum-faced man’s plea, since the latter is already
unfortunate enough to get convicted.

d. Mr. Easton is the real criminal in the story. He acts as the marshal and keeps Miss Fairchild under
deception. Initially, he is embarrassed when the lady recognises him and wants to speak to him. But
later on, everything smoothens out.

e. In the story, Hearts and Hands, we learn that appearances are deceitful, and people like Miss Fairchild
can be easily cheated upon. The story also brings out the fact that sometimes people are kind, with no
greed or self-interest, just like the real marshal.
Q 3. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow-

The two passengers in a seat nearby had heard most of the conversation. Said one of them: “That
marshal’s a good sort of chap. Some of these Western fellows are all right.”

“Pretty young to hold an office like that, isn’t he?” asked the other.

“Young!” exclaimed the first speaker, “why—oh! Didn’t you catch on? Say--did you ever know an officer
to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand?”

a. Do you think Miss Fairchild will ever come to know Mr. Easton’s reality? (3)

b. Explain the conversation between the two passengers. (3)

c. Why did the Glum-faced man act in front of Miss Fairchild? (3)

d. Describe some of the characteristics of the glum-faced man. (3)

e. What role do the remarks of the passengers play in the story? (4)

Answer: 3
a. Possibly, Miss Fairchild may come to know Mr. Easton’s secret. But the chances of this happening are
faint. If at all she’s able to know that he is a criminal, and not a marshal, that would be through
coincidence.

b. The passengers discussed amongst themselves as to what actually happened. The first passenger
commented that Easton was quite young to hold a position of a marshal. The second passenger threw
light on this remark saying that it was not Easton who was the marshal, but the glum-faced man. It was
so because no marshal ever handcuffs a criminal to his right hand.

c. The glum-faced man pretended to be the convict so that Easton did not suffer any embarrassment in
front of the lady. Since, she was an acquaintance; it would have caused his reputation to be tarnished in
the whole social circle, and in front of the lady herself.

d. The glum-faced man is the real marshal. He is selfless, compassionate, and witty. He immediately
senses the situation and acts accordingly, showcasing the true characteristics of a marshal. He is kind-
hearted and helps Easton without wanting anything in return.

e. The passengers’ remarks play a significant role in the story. Till they discuss what happened, the
readers consider the story to be a regular one, where the lady is pretty, the marshal is handsome, and
the criminal is not good looking. However, the whole story is overturned when we get to know that the
real marshal is the glum-faced man.