He only stopped to say good morning to 'all;'-- I suspect his curiosity was chiefly on the subject of a single member of the family." And a grim smile corrugated--so to speak--the rugged countenance.
Redbud blushed slightly, and said: "Verty likes us all very much, and--" "Not a doubt of it!" said the lawyer, "and no doubt 'we all' like Verty! Come, you foolish children, don't be bothering me with your nonsense.

And you, Mr.Verty--you need'nt be so foolish as to consider everything I say so harsh as you seem to.

You'll go next and tell somebody that old Rushton is an ill-natured huncks, without conscience or proper feeling; that he grumbled with you for stopping a moment to greet your friends.

If you say any such thing," added Mr.Rushton, scowling at the young man, "you will be guilty of as base a slander--yes, sir! as base a slander, sir!--as imagination could invent!" And with a growl, the speaker turned from Verty, and said, roughly, to Redbud: "Where's your father ?"' "Here I am," said the bluff and good-humored voice of the Squire, from the door; "you are early--much obliged to you." And the Squire and lawyer shook hands.

Mr.Rushton's hand fell coldly to his side, and regarding the Squire for a moment with what seemed an expression of contemptuous anger, he said, frowning, until his shaggy, grey eye-brows met together almost: "Early! I suppose I am to take up the whole forenoon--the most valuable part of the day--jogging over the country to examine title-deeds and accounts?
Humph! if you expect anything of the sort, you are mistaken.