Mr. Brooks was entirely willing to trust the lion of the day out of his custody; and he left the cottage with the lawyer.
"I s'pose I ain't o' no account here," said Ezekiel, as the door closed behind the departing gentlemen.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Mrs. Taylor.
"I wan't to know sunthin' about this business. I s'pose I ain't the head of this family."
"I don't think you are," replied the wife. "You haven't done much for it the last seven years."
"You bring that boy of yourn up to steal. If he'll take my property, he'll take other folks' property."
"It's no use to talk any more about that matter," said Mrs. Taylor, impatiently.
"I believe the boy stole the letter and took the money out on't," muttered Ezekiel.
"A little while ago you believed I had money hid away, and took the five hundred dollars from that."
"It was one way or t'other, and one ain't no wus 'n t'other. I hain't been consulted in this business at all."