"He gave my daughter the privilege of securing money by such a method for her needs, and it was not I that had her do any such a thing."
"But it was—er, rather—a little irregular, was it not? It does not seem reasonable to suppose that he granted her the privilege to sign his name to checks to secure money with which to leave him?" The question was put rather testily and caused the other to shift uncomfortably before making answer.
"Well, under the circumstances, methods had to be resorted to—er, rather to fit the occasion." The Elder's defence was artful.
The Bishop, not pretending to take his question seriously, pursued:
"I note, further, that he accuses you of disposing of some property...."
"My daughter sold her place. It was hers, in her name, and the transaction did not require his consent."
"M-m—I see. It seems that the property, so he claims, represented an outlay of some thirty-five hundred dollars in cash, and he purports the same as being worth something like sixty-four hundred dollars. What is your opinion, having been on the property, of its actual worth?"
"Well, I have some sense of values, since I am buying this home, and I do not regard the property as being worth such a sum."
"I see," said the other, stroking his beard which was thick and flowing.
"A piece of wild, raw land such as that I could not estimate it as being so valuable."