Gloomily he ate his supper. When Dorothy entered to take away the dishes he demanded to know why he should be ashamed of himself.
"Because you should!" she snapped. "I'm not going to bandy words with you! Just wait till mother comes home—just you wait!"
After which ominous utterance she departed. Loudon scratched his head and thought long and deeply.
"Now I'd like to know what I've done," he mused. "Mis' Mace don't like me a little bit, an' that Dorothy girl talks an' acts like I'd poisoned a well or scalped a dozen babies. It's one too many for me. But I'll know about it when Mis' Burr gets home, will I? That's fine, that is. I'll bet she'll explain till the cows come home. Why didn't I go to that hotel? I will as soon's I'm able. This house ain't no place for a peace-lovin' man."
He was rather relieved that Kate no longer came near him. It saved trouble. He did not quite know what he would say to Kate at their next meeting. What could he say? What, indeed? He pondered the question till he fell asleep, having arrived at no conclusion.
Next morning Jim Mace came to see him. Loudon besought Jim to help him move to the hotel.
"What's the matter?" said the surprised Jim. "Don't my wife an' Dorothy treat yuh right?"
"Shore they do, but I don't want to bother 'em no more. I'll be better off where I can cuss when I feel like it."
"Mis' Burr won't like it none, yore goin' off thisaway."
"I can't help that—I want to go."