Sentence:  I had occasion […] to make a somewhat <WSD>long</WSD> business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Seemingly lasting a lot of time, because it is boring or tedious or tiring.