“I’ll make it my business.”
“You’ll do no such a thing!” howled Mr. Norton. “I won’t have such a fellow as you about the place. You are discharged.”
“I am willing. I wouldn’t want to work here if you are to be the boss. But I’m Rube’s friend, and I’m going to stick up for him. Nice kind of a man you are, raising a fight when you haven’t been here but a few hours! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! If I told folks down to the Bend about the way you carry on, they’d ride you on a rail.”
Ford was in for easing his mind, and I let him go on.
“Stop! stop!” cried Mr. Norton. “I won’t listen to a word.”
“Oh, yes, you will,” went on Ford. “Here is Rube just about heard of his father’s death, and you treating him in this fashion! You haven’t got a heart as big as a toad. Besides, the boy has told you the truth.”
“How do you know?” asked the man, somewhat abashed by the fact that Ford did not back down. “His father must have been worth something.”
“Well, he wasn’t; and in these times it’s hard to make a living at anything in Bend Center. I’ve looked around and I know.”
Mr. Norton was silent for a moment; then his manner appeared to change. He threw the stick into the corner, and sat down on a chair.