Abner was always glad to see him, and taking advantage of the first chance to get the life saver alone, Darry told of his recent experience with the loan shark.
The other looked very downcast; indeed, Darry could not remember having ever seen him appear so disheartened.
"It means trouble for the poor ole woman, Darry. If I kin only muster up enough courage to ask some o' the folks to help me out p'raps we kin pull through; but the best o' friends pull back wen money is spoken of. They all got ther own burdens to kerry. I know I war a fool to ever do it; but Jenny got on my nerves yuh see, an' promised to give it back. An' thet shark, Quarles, it does him a lot o' good to know he kin push me down a peg," he said, with a heavy sigh.
"I seemed to get the notion that he didn't love you very much, Mr. Peake," remarked Darry.
"I thort he'd forgot all about it, but now I know he ain't, the skunk! He holds it agin me, and hes all these years. I reckon he jest hugged hisself wen I kim to him an' asked that loan. It war jest like playin' into his hands. Yuh see, lad, him an' me was rivals onct on a time."
Darry pricked up his ears.
Here was a touch of romance, something one would hardly expect to find in connection with so ordinary looking a man as Abner Peake.
"You mean that he wanted Nancy—that is Mrs. Peake, to marry him?" he asked.
"Thet's jest it, son. I reckon he'd a got her, too, fur I didn't hold a candle to Darius wen it kim to looks or larnin', but yuh see thet's whar chanct stepped in an' guv me a shove."
"Something happened then?"