She was not the only one listening now. The hubbub below had brought Miss Ann Moulton out to her landing. She, too, was listening, fearing to be seen, peering cautiously over the banisters.
“No, sir! I tell you my client declines to settle on any such basis,” declared a stranger below—a big-shouldered man with a thunderous voice. But the cat could only see his heels and the muddy rims of his trousers, and now and then his big clenched hand as he swung it angrily toward the banisters in speaking. Miss Ann could see more. She could see the breadth of his great shoulders and a fringe of curly red hair shadowed by the brim of a brown derby with a mourning band.
“We’ve given you more than ample time to settle this matter, Mr. Ford,” continued the stranger; “for cash, do you understand! You promised to settle up on the twentieth. That’s a week ago.”
“Didn’t say no such thing,” retorted Ebner Ford, out of view of his listeners. “What I said was I’d see she got half by the first——”
“The first, eh? We’ve no record of that.”
“Hold on now, my friend—no use of us both talkin’ at once. I said half by the first, and the other half six months from date. That’s what I told her—I guess I know what I told her.”
Miss Ann leaned forward with bated breath.
“See here. There’s no use of your arguing this matter further,” returned the other. “Unless you settle by to-morrow noon——”
“Serve me with a summons, eh? Is that it? Ain’t I give you enough guarantee of good faith?”
“We do not consider your good faith a guarantee,” retorted the stranger. “What my client wants is her money—all of it. I give you fair warning. You’ll settle by to-morrow noon with a certified check or we’ll bring the matter to court.”