"I'm not laughing, I merely said that the restriction was absurd,"
replied Jonathan in a friendly tone. "Why this pasture of yours juts in
between my field and the road, and I'm obliged to cross it. I told you
before I was awfully sorry about the quarrel when I first came, but as
long as you leave my birds alone, you may walk over my land all day if
you like and I shan't care a copper."
"Damn your birds! I don't take a blow from any man without paying him
back," retorted Archie.
"Hold your tongue, Archie," said Abel sternly. "It's my farm, I reckon,
and I manage it. I'm sorry, Mr. Jonathan," he added, "that you started
the trouble, but we aren't people to sit down tamely and take a
thrashing from you just because you happen to own Jordan's Journey. I'll
stand by Archie because he's right, though if he were not right, I'd
still stand by him because he's my brother. The best we can do is to
keep clear of each other. We don't go on your place and you'd just as
well take care to keep off ours."
A frown contracted Gay's brow, while he glanced anxiously over his
shoulder at the crooked path which led in the direction of the mill.
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