"I'll see that you make good your words to-morrow morning, old as you are," said Harrison, now white to the lips with passion. And he walked away and down the steps, meeting my sister Mary, who had just heard the raised voices and had turned to see what had happened.
"Why do you waste time talking to those old men," I heard her say as they walked together down the path which led to the grove of live oaks that separated the estates. But he appeared not to answer, so I knew there was trouble ahead.
"Harrison has horrible taste to get angry at such an old fellow as you," laughed Barron. "Also a pretty clever opinion of his presence."
"I am old, Barry, sure enough, but I can't abide a man who lives in a country as a gentleman and then fights against it. I've got these pains shooting all through me and considerable twitching of the skull, but I'll meet him, sir; yes, sir, I'll meet him to-morrow morning if I'm alive. I offer you my humblest apology, Mr. Judkins, for being party to a scene on your verandah, but you heard what he said in regard to soldiers, sir; yes sir, you heard what he said." And the Major reached for the bottle, while I entered the house to leave again by a side door and follow Harrison to do what I could to pacify him.
Will Byrd was living with us, so I felt sure he would keep Barron and the Major in good humor until I came back.
Mary met me on the pathway leading to Harrison's. She had just left him and was much upset at his temper.
"I don't see why you have these old duffers come up here and make trouble," she said. "Captain Barron is bad enough by himself, but when that horrid old Major Bullbeggor and he get together, they just sit around to drink and make trouble. It's only an hour's ride to his place and I don't see why Sam can't help Snake take him home."
"My dear sister," I said, "you know the traditions of Judkins' Hall. The Major shall, therefore, always be a welcome visitor. He is a good soldier, and the time will come—if it is not here already—when Virginia will need just such men. We cannot put up with Dunmore's violence any longer, and if Berk Harrison can't understand this the sooner we see less of him, the better it will be for us all."