“Very likely, poor little devil!� Caleb retorted grimly, “and your tongue to help it, but you’d better hold it, Charity; you’re here to do what I want—or to go elsewhere, see?�
“Yass, suh,� she replied hastily, “I’se gwine ter do it, but I sure wishes yo’d let me take de chile where he b’longs.�
“Where he belongs?� Caleb turned sharply.
“I ain’t sayin’,� cried Aunt Charity, thoroughly frightened, “I ain’t saying—� Then she stopped with her mouth open, for she had seen the figure in the outer room that Caleb did not see.
Her look made him turn, however, to come face to face with Jacob Eaton. He went out and closed the door on the inner office sharply, not conscious that Aunt Charity promptly dropped on her knees and put her eye to the keyhole.
Meanwhile, the two men measured each other with peculiar enmity. Jacob thrust his hands into his pockets and stood smiling, a smooth face but not a pleasant one.
“I came to see you on a matter of business,� he drawled, “but I’m afraid I disturb you.� He had seen the scene in the inner room.
Caleb’s height was greater than his, and he looked down at him with an inscrutable face; his temper was quick, but he had the rare advantage of not showing it.
“I am quite at leisure,� he said coldly, without the slightest attempt at courtesy.
“I had the pleasure of reading your Cresset speech,� said Jacob amusedly, “and I regret that I didn’t hear it. I congratulate you, it was excellent reading.�