Dannie’s cheeks flushed with mortification and anger as he recalled his interview with the engineer.
“Why, yes, they did; but I told ’em—”
“No matter what you told ’em; was anything done?”
The rising inflection in the old man’s voice warned his hearers that he was no longer able to smother the fires of anger kindled in his breast.
“Nothing, Gran’pap. There were seven of them.”
Again, in his anxiety to come to Dannie’s assistance, Gabriel broke in:—
“I told ’em that ef Abner Pickett was there, he—”
“Shut up, you fool!”
Gabriel obeyed his employer’s command without a word of comment. The silence which followed was broken by David Brown.
“Just thought I’d come over, Mr. Pickett, and inquire. Didn’t know but maybe you might know what they were paying for right of way.”