“Who came with him?” continued Barton.
“You'd better ask marm. She attended to the business. It was a young man.”
“Where is she?”
“Gone to the village to buy some sassiges for dinner.”
“Good!” exclaimed Barton, in a tone of satisfaction. “I'll stay at home to dinner to-day. Did the man pay your mother any money?”
“I s'pose so, or she wouldn't be buyin' sassiges. Old Schickman won't trust us any more.”
“The money should have been paid to me. I'll see about it when your marm comes back from the store.”
“You'd spend it all for drink, dad,” said Abner.
“How dare you speak so to your father, you ungrateful young dog!”
He essayed to reach Abner to strike him, but his dutiful son dodged easily, and his father, being unsteady on his legs, fell on the ground.