If what they say is trueshe wasnt so much before
she married Capn Elijah and his money. I dread the thought ofany trouble between the
Trumans and the Bradfords, she said. The heft of what Ibuy is junk and most of my
customers are junk customers, as youmight say. Tadgett, hastily seizing hiscoat and
hat, hurried out. A bodyd think all I had to do was listen to you mentalk. Captain
Abijah made one more call upon his nephew. And tis,too, the way prices for them kind
of boards are runnin thesedays.
Dont know why I keepcallin her old, he added. It
belonged to your grandfather, you say. Thats what I kept askin myself for ten
minutes after she hove insight. Her husband and poor Silas wereclose dear friends
and partners.
Speakup, so every one can hear what you say. He
hadneglected, in arranging with Banks for the hearing, to insist thatit be strictly
private.
Ebenezer, he said withfeeling, youre a
brick.
Banks did not see him again for several
days.
Well, Hettie, he demanded, how about us Bradfords
havin to huntup a hole to stick our heads into? I think the lowboy was just more or
less ofan excuse. Say, Banks, would it be all right if I fetched Sheba in here
someday sos she can see you usin it?
The only thing Ididnt know was that anybody would
pay three hundred dollars forit.
Through the sycamores the candlelights are gleaming
On the banks of the Wabash, far away.
One more outbreak of thatkind, he announced, and
the room will be cleared. He was a stout elderly man, rather pompous; alawyer of the
old school.
Dragged awayfrom my housework, dinner dishes not
done, and compny comin to-morrow.
Judge Bangs, he said, I should like to
askMr.
His wife was still staring fixedly at the wall
above Banks head. But furs I could make out there want any trouble at all. Either
you need a keeper or Ido, was his parting observation.
Suppose he does take alickin from Oscar Brooks and
Maybelle Truman, what of it?
Trumanbought that sideboard; she knew she bought
it.
Brooks looked triumphantlyabout the room. It was
intended as a joke, but Cousin Hettie did not take it asone.