“As gold? Well, gold is good in its place, if it could be kept there. And what were you two discoursing about, down yonder by the burn?”
It never came into Katie’s mind that she could answer him otherwise than indirectly.
“We were speaking—about you, grandfather, and about—Jacob Holt.”
“Well?”
“And Davie was saying how impossible it was that anything that that man can do could hurt you, grandfather.”
“He thinks he kens, does he?”
“But he says everybody kens that, though Jacob is a greedy man, he is but a poor creature, and wouldna dare to harm you, because all Gershom would cry out against him if he were to do his will.”
“I’m no’ sure of that. But, indeed, I think he has done his worst on me already.” And the look, the dark look, that always brought the shadow to grannie’s eyes came over his face as he said it. Katie’s heart beat hard, but her courage rose to the occasion, and she said softly and reverently:
“It was God’s will, grandfather, and surely Jacob must be sorry now.”
The old man uttered a sound between a groan and a cry.