"Look here, sir! Do you know to whom you are talking? How dare you use such a tone to Mr. Percival's representative?"
"I suppose you don't always expect to be Mr. Percival's representative?"
"I suppose I shall die sometime, if that's what you mean; but I am not dead yet, as you will find. To pay you for your impertinence, I shall increase your rent more than I intended. I'll drive you out of town—that's what I'll do."
This was accompanied by an angry stamp of the foot, which, however, did not frighten Mr. Hamlin much.
"I shall not pay a dollar more rent, nor shall I leave the farm I occupy," returned Mr. Hamlin, whose patience was exhausted by the rough insolence of the man before him.
"So you defy me, do you?" demanded Fairfield, furiously.
"I shall resist your injustice, sir, or rather I would do so if you were able to carry out your threat. Luckily you have not the power."
"Have not the power? You will see if I have not the power!" roared the angry agent. "I give you notice that at the end of the quarter you must go, at any rate. After your insolence, I won't let you stay on any terms. I wouldn't let you stay if you would pay double the rent. Do you hear me, Hamlin?"
"Yes, I hear you."
Mr. Fairfield looked at the farmer in surprise. The latter seemed perfectly calm and undisturbed by his threat, though it was of the most serious nature. He had expected to see him humbled, and to hear him entreat a reversal of the sentence; but his tenant was thoroughly self-possessed, and appeared to care nothing for the agent's threats.