Claude loathed this discussion with a man so inferior to himself, but he was obliged to get his information somehow. "If he thinks—"
"It's not what he thinks, but what he knows. That's what's the matter with old man Fay. If I was you I'd give him a darned wide berth—from now on."
"Yes, but Jim, you don't understand—"
"I understand what I'm telling you, Claude. If you don't clear out of this village for the next six months—"
Claude was beside himself with exasperation. "But, good God, man, I've come back to marry Rosie! Now don't you see?"
Jim stalked forward from the hothouse door, standing over the smaller, slighter man with a tolerant kindliness which persisted in his sunny, steely smile. "No, I don't see. You clear out. Take a friend's advice. Whether you've come back to marry Rosie or whether you haven't won't make a cent's worth of difference to old man Fay. Clear out, all the same."
In his excitement Claude screamed, shrilly, "Like hell, I will!"
"Like hell, you'll have to. Mind you, Claude, I'm telling you as a friend. And as for marrying Rosie—well, you can't."
Claude became aggressive. "If that's because you think you can—"
"Gee! Me! What do you know about that! It's all I can do to get her to look at the same side of the road I'm on—so far. But if I can't, still less can you, and for a very good reason."