Then "our" Mr. Levy called at the house, accompanied by a Mr. Kahn, whose particular function was left in some vagueness.
Mr. Kahn felt around the edge of the thing. "It can be settled, I am inclined to think," he said, smoothly.
"So it can," said the Doctor—"by your both going out that door inside of ten seconds."
But Mr. Kahn remained. "Your libellous utterances——" he began.
"Mine? Those students', you mean. Sue them—in a body!"
"We may prefer to sue you."
"Sue away, then! I'll put my standing against that of any department store in existence! This is a mere impudent speculation, impossible to carry out in the face of the public opinion of a Christian community——"
"Is it?" asked Mr. Kahn blandly.
This equivoke checked Dr. Gowdy for an instant. "It used to be," he said, with a fierce smile. The smile vanished and the fierceness remained. "Go," he said. "I'm stronger than both of you together. There's the door. Use it!" He towered over them with red face, threatening arm, bristling white whiskers.
"Drop it," said Mr. Kahn to Mr. Levy, as they went down the Doctor's front steps; "he's a fighter."