“Didn't know Hilary Vane's be'n here?”
“My father!” Austen ejaculated.
“Gittin' after me pretty warm, so they be. Want to know what my price is now. But say, I didn't suppose your fayther'd come here without lettin' you know.”
Austen was silent. The truth was that for a few moments he could not command himself sufficiently to speak.
“He is the chief counsel for the road,” he said at length; “I am not connected with it.”
“I guess you're on the right track. He's a pretty smooth talker, your fayther. Just dropped in to see how I be, since his son was interested. Talked a sight of law gibberish I didn't understand. Told me I didn't have much of a case; said the policy of the railrud was to be liberal, and wanted to know what I thought I ought to have.”
“Well?” said Austen, shortly.
“Well,” said Mr. Mender, “he didn't git a mite of satisfaction out of me. I've seen enough of his kind of folks to know how to deal with 'em, and I told him so. I asked him what they meant by sending that slick Mr. Tooting 'raound to offer me five hundred dollars. I said I was willin' to trust my case on that crossin' to a jury.”
Austen smiled, in spite of his mingled emotions.
“What else did Mr. Vane say?” he asked.