"No, not that amount. I have tried and failed. Six thousand was the best any one would do. I hope you can favour me, sir," and Stubbles turned his eyes beseechingly upon the lawyer's face.
"It all depends upon my young friend here," Garton replied, "and that is the reason why I have asked him to remain in the room."
"It depends upon him!" Stubbles exclaimed in astonishment, as he looked toward Douglas. "I do not understand your meaning, sir."
"You know him, then?"
"Yes, I have met him several times. He is Jake Jukes' hired man, so I understand."
"And he is the man you have been persecuting ever since he came to this place. Why was that?"
"There was no persecution, I assure you," Stubbles hotly defended. "He made himself most obnoxious to people in general, and for the welfare of the community I ordered him to leave the parish."
"In what way did he make himself obnoxious?"
"He insulted my son one night at a quiet dance in the hall at the
Corner, and broke up the gathering."
"And what was your son doing? How did he behave that night? Did you ever think of that?"