“Squire Phin! Squire! Won’t you see here a second?” shouted Amazeen.
Look went along to the front window and threw it up. Only the old men were in sight in the street, standing shoulder to shoulder, their faces upturned, their beards snapping in the breeze. At this safe strategic distance they had one more shot to fire, and their countenances showed it. Amazeen held his hand beside his mouth and huskily whispered:
“Squire, you know—that party—the party we was talkin’ about just now?” Sullen nod. “You needn’t sue me on his account. I won’t say nothin’. But—Squire!” Another curt nod.
“I know that said party has owed you a settlement for quite a while, if what folks say is true. Now, why don’t you put your bill in with Wat’s and collect both with a”—the old man shouted the last word—“hoss-whip?” For Squire Phin had banged down the window.
CHAPTER V—HIRAM LOOK MEETS KLEBER WILLARD BRIEFLY AND BRISKLY
AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
A nice little man came up the lane,
And it was summer weather;