"As Heaven's me witness, Martha, I meant no harm," she whimpered peevishly.
"Well?" probed Martha.
"But to see me own son castin' black looks at me, as if he'd slay me——"
"Tell me what you've done, never mind about Sam!"
"The day I first see you writin' one o' them letters, Martha——"
"What letters?"
Sam's fist came down on the table-top with the force of a sledge-hammer.
"Hold your tongue, Ma! By God! I won't have my wife's ears soiled with your dirty gossip. I've listened to you myself long enough, too long. I'd not have done it, even so, except for the need there is to stop your scandal-mongering—yours and this woman's here."
Martha laid a restraining hand upon his arm.
"Why, Sam! What ails you?" she asked in wonder. "I never seen you the like o' this before. Let Ma speak. She was sayin' about letters. What letters?"