Sez he, a-growin’ more and more excited and fierce actin’—“I’m a-goin’ back and tell that woman that it is a shame and a disgrace to be up and ondressed at this time of night. Why wuzn’t her door locked, if she had to ondress?”
“What business wuz it of yours?” sez I. “Do you spoze she expected you to be a-prowlin’ round her room and a-prancin’ in, onbeknown to her?”
“Gracious Peter!” sez he in pitiful axents; “duz she think I wanted to be there?”
“Why did you go in, then?” sez I.
“Because I made a mistake!” he thundered out. “I thought it wuz our room. How should I know that there wuz a dum, red-headed fool there a-ondressin’ herself at this time of night? Why wuzn’t she abed—up, and skairin’ a man half to death?”
“If you’d kep’ out, Josiah, you’d have escaped,” sez I more softer like, for I see by his axents that he wuz a-sufferin’ from fear and the effects of the shock.
Sez I, “Be calm; accidents will happen, Josiah. Come to bed, and try to forgit it.”
Sez he, “I’m a-goin’ back—it is my duty.”
“I won’t try!” sez he. “I’m a-goin’ back and give that dum fool and loonatick a piece of my mind. What henders some other man from walkin’ in?” Sez he, “I’m a-goin’ back—it is my duty!”