Lottie made no reply to this, and he continued, more roughly:
“You think I had a hand in your brother’s runnin’ off. How did you come by sech an idea as that?”
“I have already told you that I know some one persuaded him to go. No one but you could have had any object in doing that,” replied Lottie, steadily.
“Wal, I declare! What did I want the boy to run off fer?” asked Mr. Highton, in pretended surprise, while an angry flush rose to his cheek.
“I can’t answer that question.”
“Wal, it’s best not to throw out insinerations that you can’t prove. An’ it will be all the better fer you, if you make up your mind to be friendly with me. Because, if you ain’t, you’ll find yourself in a middlin’ bad box before very long. My wife an’ me, we wants to be friendly, an’ is willin’ to do the best we kin fer you; that’s what we come over this morning to talk about.”
“I am getting along very well—I don’t need any kind of help from any one, at present,” said Lottie coldly.
“You’re mighty inderpendent fer a bit of a girl; but when you come to find out jest how you air fixed, you may change your tune,” and Mart Highton grinned maliciously.
Lottie made no answer, and he continued:
“We come to you, my wife an’ I did, to let you know that this place belongs to us; but, not wishin’ to be too hard on you, we offered you the privilege of stayin’ on here with us till you could make some other ’rangements. I told my wife to be easy on you, an’ not break the news too suddint, but she didn’t seem to work it jest right. So the next best plan is to come out plain an’ let you know exactly how you’re situated.”