He wanted to know what the matter was.
"Sent you off the place, did she; well, you'll have to eat crow.
I'll do all I can. I don't know what girls were ever made for
anyhow, damned if I do!" he added plaintively, as a realization
of a stupendous mistake on the part of nature overwhelmed him.
Hicks consented to eat crow only after Mr. Ware had cursed and
cajoled him into a better and more forgiving frame of mind. Then
Tom hurried off to find Betty and put matters right; a more
difficult task than he had reckoned on, for Betty was obdurate
and her indignation flared up at mention of the incident; all his
powers of argument and persuasion were called into requisition
before she would consent to Hicks remaining, and then only on
that most uncertain tenure, his good behavior.
"Now you come up to the house," said Tom, when he had won his
point and gone back to Hicks, "and get done with it. I reckon
you talked when you should have kept your blame familiar mouth
shut! Come on, and get it over with, and say you're sorry."
Later, after Hicks had made his apology, the two men smoked a
friendly pipe and discussed the situation. Tom pointed out that
opposition was useless, a losing game, you could get your way by
less direct means. She wouldn't stay long at Belle Plain, but
while she did remain they must avoid any more crises of the sort
through which they had just passed, and presently; she'd be sick
of the place. Tom wagged his head.
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