My heart sank at these words. As I have said, I did not take to my newly arrived relative from the start, and it was not a pleasant thought that in future he was to have full power over me. I heartily wished that my twenty-first birthday was at hand.
“I take it your father wasn’t no great business man,” went on Mr. Norton, helping himself to more fish and another cup of coffee. “The state of affairs here shows that he wasn’t. He would have done better by remaining here than by going West as he did.”
This was not the first time that this man had said things derogatory to my father’s memory, and it made me angry.
“I think my father knew his own business best,” I cried. “He knew all about milling, and you don’t know a thing.”
“Don’t talk to me in this style,” cried Mr. Norton, turning quickly. “What I’ve said I’ll stick to; your father was no business man. He didn’t know how to manage.”
“He certainly made a mistake when he appointed you my guardian,” I replied pointedly.
Mr. Norton turned pale.
“What do you mean by that?” he demanded.
“I mean just what I say.”
“You don’t like the idea of my being set over you, eh?”