"He just stood there grinning, even guessing my thoughts, for he said, 'You could knock me down, I know, but it would be no satisfaction to you, for I would get back at you through the law. It would cost you more than it is worth, John Massey.' It was what I knew was true myself, so I kept my hands off him and came away."
Janet and Oliver stood looking at him miserably, knowing that there was nothing to be done.
"Get into the car and wait for us," Oliver directed at last. "We will take you home when we have finished here. We won't stay long."
"You won't want to," observed John Massey bitterly. "He is in a famous bad temper."
They went through the gate with Janet's steps lagging more than ever. There was something almost uncanny about a man who could cause such misery to other people and yet go unscathed himself. They saw him almost immediately as they came up the path. He had been cutting down some weeds in the neglected field and was standing in the middle of it, close beside the scarecrow. He did not move, but waited for them to come close, evidently meditating what he could say that would hurt and anger them the most. He began to speak the moment they came near, giving Oliver no opening for what he had meant to say:
"So Jasper Peyton, having sent one of you to steal my picture, has lost courage and sent two of you to bring it back again. Very clever, very clever of him indeed!"
"He knew nothing about it," Janet was beginning passionately, when Oliver silenced her by a touch on her shoulder.
"He knows that," he reminded her calmly; "he is only trying to make you angry."
He caught a look of smoldering fury in Anthony Crawford's eye and a note of surprised irritation in his voice.
"Well," the man snapped, "am I to have my property or not?"