“they’re coming, mother,” said andy, as, looking from the window, he espied the bent form of old joshua, with the sprucely dressed lawyer at his side, coming up the village street side by side, and approaching their modest cottage.
“i wish the visit were over,” said mrs. gordon, nervously.
“i don’t, mother,” said andy, with a smile of assured triumph. “the victory is to be ours, you know.”
“i don’t like to quarrel.”
“nor i; but when a man tries to impose upon me, i like to resist him boldly.”
“you won’t be too hasty, andy?”
“no; but, mother, let me manage the matter, and leave me to produce the receipt when i think it best.”
“wouldn’t it be well to save trouble by letting them know at once that we have found it, andy?” asked the widow.
“no, mother; i want to make them show their hand first.”
andy had hardly completed this sentence, when a knock was heard at the door.
mrs. gordon opened it.
“good-afternoon, widder!” said joshua{146} starr, in his cracked voice, which was usually pitched on a high key.
“good-afternoon, mrs. gordon!” said the lawyer, blandly. “we have called—mr. starr and myself—on a little matter of business.”
“yes, ma’am, we’ve called on business,” echoed starr.
“won’t you walk in, gentlemen?” said mrs. gordon, gravely.
“thank you!” said the lawyer.
and he bowed ceremoniously.
“i reckon we will,” said joshua starr, who forgot to remove his battered old hat as he entered.
“why, andy, howdy do?” said the old man, as he espied our young hero seated at the window. “i see you’ve took to scarin’ burglars. ho, ho! i reckon i’d have to send for you if i had anything in my house wuth stealin’. ho, ho!”
“yes, mr. starr, i’m ready to defend myself against all sorts of burglars,” said andy, pointedly.
mr. starr did not understand andy’s meaning, but mr. ross darted a sharp glance at the boy, whom he understood better. he said nothing, however.
“sho! i guess they ain’t likely to get into your house, widder,” said mr. starr, turning to mrs. gordon.
“i hope not, mr. starr.”{147}
the old man’s eyes had already begun to wander about the room, in search of desirable furniture to seize in payment of the note. there was a comfortable rocking-chair, in which the lawyer had seated himself, which he mentally decided to claim. it occurred to him that it would be just the thing for him to sit in after the farm work of the day was over.
he nodded significantly to the lawyer, who thereupon commenced:
“of course, mrs. gordon, you are aware of the nature of the business that has brought us here?”
“jes’ so! jes’ so!” interjected mr. starr.
“is it about the note?”
“yes, it is about the note. including interest, it amounts to——”
“one hundred and thirty-two dollars and twenty-seven cents,” interrupted joshua starr, eagerly.
the lawyer looked at him angrily, and mr. starr shrank back in his chair.
“i told you, mr. ross, that the note had been paid,” said mrs. gordon, beginning to be a little nervous.
“i know you said so,” the lawyer returned, “and you were doubtless under that impression, but my client, mr. starr, assures me that it is a mistake. the note still remains unpaid.”
“jes’ so! jes’ so!” said starr, eagerly.{148}
“you know better, mr. starr!” broke in andy, hotly. “you are trying to get the note paid twice.”
“why, andy,” exclaimed mr. starr, appearing to be very much shocked, “how you talk!”
“young man,” said the lawyer, severely, “this is very disgraceful! i cannot permit my respected client to be insulted by a beardless boy.”
“what i said is true, nevertheless,” said andy. “i don’t believe mr. starr has forgotten it, either!”
“that’s all nonsense, andy,” said joshua. “i’ll make it easy for you. i’m willin’ to take part of my pay in furniture, and the rest your mother can pay, say five or ten dollars a month.”
“my mother has no more furniture than she wants,” said andy, “and she wants all her income to live upon.”
“that won’t do,” said the lawyer, sternly. “your mother must make some arrangements this very afternoon to pay my client’s note, or it will be necessary for me, in his behalf, to take some very unpleasant measures.”
“there is one excellent reason for our not paying the note,” said andy, smiling.
“what is that?”
“it has already been paid, and we can show mr. starr’s receipt.”
mr. ross and his client stared at each other{149} in a dismay which they were powerless to conceal.
