“I am afraid, neighbor Darrell, that somebody has been fooling you and laughing at you, or if not, then the thing will look as if you yourself had been fooling us and laughing at us. This we can hardly believe.”
“We don't believe at all,” Hughes explained, seeing Darrell's brow darken.
Jane's window was possessed of most favorable acoustic qualities. Every word could be distinctly heard.
“I don't understand you,” says Darrell, gruffly. “I am not given to joking or laughing much, and I never knew that anybody dared to laugh at me.”
“Precisely!” Hughes exclaimed, bowing deferentially.
“Did you ever give us to understand that this land you occupy you had bought and paid for?” Mathews asked.
“No. I said to the Don I would pay when the title is settled; that's all. You all heard that.”
“But you never paid him any money?”
“Not a red cent. But see here, what do you mean by coming here to catechise me? You don't know William Darrell, if you think you can set a trap for him in this way. I tell you he would kick your trap to the old ‘Nick’ in two minutes,” Darrell said, getting white with anger.
“I know it,” Gasbang said, shaking with laughter.