"How do you cal'late Cap'n Sam'll like the notion of his pet daughter takin' up with another man?" he queried. Jed was still mute. His caller lost patience.
"Say, what ails you?" he demanded. "Can't you say nothin'?"
Mr. Winslow put down the board and took up another.
"Ye-es," he drawled.
"Then why don't you, for thunder sakes?"
"Eh? . . . Um. . . Oh, I did."
"Did what?"
"Say nothin'."
"Oh, you divilish idiot! Stop tryin' to be funny. I asked you how you thought Cap'n Sam would take the notion of Maud's havin' a steady beau? She's had a good many after her, but looks as if she was stuck on this one for keeps."
Jed sighed and looked over his spectacles at Mr. Bearse. The latter grew uneasy under the scrutiny.