Scott misunderstood him. “I admit it was a little hasty,” he replied with dignity, “but I am not ashamed of it.”
The old man laughed aloud. “No, no, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I am only surprised that Foster has not killed you before this. Be on your guard, for he will certainly try it.”
“Tell me about it,” Scott said. “What was going on? I could not make head or tail of it.”
Mr. Sanders thought for a moment. “Must have seemed queer to you. Would to anybody. You see Foster Wait, he was the big fellow, was drunk as he usually is when he has any excuse for it at all. He happened to see Vic Morgan there in the village and could not help poking some fun at her about the logging contract. They all love to tease her just to see her spit fire. She flew into a tantrum just as she always does, ran out to the middle of the street, which is the dividing line between Morgan and Wait territory, and told him what she thought of him and the whole Wait tribe. She said herself that she cursed Foster pretty bad.
“You see she felt safe because the Waits never come past the middle of the street. But, as I said, Foster was drunk and he reached over the line and grabbed her. Probably just wanted to spank the kid for a joke. Vic could not see the joke and bit his thumb. Hurt him pretty bad, I reckon, and made him mad. He has a terrible temper like his father. He grabbed her by the hair for a safe hold and then you came along.”
“But how could those men there at the Morgan store see a Wait treat a member of their family in any such way as that?” Scott protested.
“Because Jim don’t believe in keeping up the feud, and it makes him mad every time Vic stirs things up that way. Probably thought it served her right.”
“So that child is Vic. And she is the only supporter old Jarred has. Who is she, anyway?” Scott asked.
“She is the daughter of Jim Morgan there at the store, but she spends most of her time up on the mountain with her grandfather. She and the old man are great chums.”
“Just one more question,” Scott said, “or rather two more and then I’ll let you go to bed. Why didn’t any of the Waits interfere when I knocked their leader down? I did not know who he was or I might have been scared.”