A breathless pause came, while Bagby's countenance assumed a look of sudden anxiety. “I did n’t say twenty-five,” he quickly denied; “I said twenty-two.”
A wave of contradiction swept through the hall.
Nothing daunted, the honourable Joseph repeated his assertion.
“He, he, he!” chuckled Hennion, “thet comes of biddin’ more money than yers hev.”
“We’ll call it twenty-two thousand,” said McClave, “since Mr. Bagby persists. Will you give any more?”
“One hunded more,” said Hennion; and nobody offering above him, it was knocked down at that price.
As the sale was declared completed, Bagby rose. “At least, I made you pay double for it,” he growled spitefully to his competitor.
“Yer did, consarn yer,” was Hennion’s reply; but then a smile succeeded the angry look on the shrewd face. “I did n’t pay more ’n a third of what ’t is wuth, then.”
“’T will be a dear buy, that I warn you,” retorted Joseph, angrily. “I’ll pay you off yet for bidding me out of it.”
“Yer be keerful what yer do, or I’ll do some payin’ off myself,” warned Hennion.