“I have read it.”
“You have read it! You've been prying into my affairs, have you?”
“Not at all. I found this on the ground and read it. You must have written it back there when you kept us waiting. You had no business to do it. I never saw such a fool as you are.” As he spoke, he touched the match to the paper.
“Here, quit that! Don't you burn that letter!”
“Now, Joe, you didn't think for a minute I'd let you send this, did you?”
“What right you got—”
“The right of self-preservation. We can't do any letter writing yet awhile. I 'll help you out with money, but I won't let you do this sort of thing. Let's start back.” He led the way to the road, McGlory sullenly following; and side by side they stepped out for the farmhouse. “Beastly sort of a thing to do, Joe,—ask Madge for money to help you run off with this woman.”
“Well, I'd like to know—Ain't she had enough from me—”
“I don't doubt she has stood a good deal from you. What sort of a woman is she, Joe?”
“Madge? Oh, she's all right.”