"Breeze ahead, then," says I. "Call the high sheriff. Only let's not get all foamed up over it, Mr. MacGregor Shinn."
"Ha!" says he. "Then ye know who I am? Maybe you're stopping up at the big house? "
"We are guests of Mr. Ellins, your neighbor," puts in Vee.
"He's no neighbor of mine," snaps Shinn. "Not him. His bulldog worries me cat, his roosters wake me up in the morning, and his Dago workmen chatter about all day long. No, I'll not own such a man as neighbor. Nor will I have his guests stealing my posies."
"Then take it," says Vee, throwing the lilac spray on the ground.
"You'll find a quarter stuck on the bush," says I. "Sorry, MacGregor, we couldn't make a trade. The young lady is mighty fond of lilacs."
"Is she, now?" says Shinn, still scowlin' at us.
"And she thinks your place here is pretty cute," I adds.
"It's a rotten hole," says he.
"Maybe you're a poor judge," says I. "If it was fixed up a bit I should think it might be quite spiffy."