Part 99 (1/2)
”What naive any”
Potts looked perplexed
”Come now,” said John ”This fellow has overreached himself at last
He's coet out I'll have all the servants ready Do you keep up your spirits Don't get frightened, but be plucky Bluff hi the bell, and I'll march in with all the servants” Potts looked for a lance of deep adot er than I have in ot this fellohoever he is; and if he turns out to be what I suspect, then we'll spring the trap on hie tools”
With these words Potts departed, and, ascending the stairs, entered the drawing-roo out of one of the s His attitude brought back to Potts's recollection the scene which had once occurred there, when old S Beatrice in his arht on Potts's e exaltation Perhaps they were the same, as John said--perhaps; no, ot him now, any way,” er turned and looked at Potts for a few moments He neither bowed nor uttered any salutation whatever In his look there was a certain terrific lance of conscious power, combined with implacable hate The frohich usually rested on his brow darkened and deepened till the gloomy shadows that covered them seemed like thunder-clouds
Before that awful look Potts felt hian to feel less confidence in his oer, and less sure that the stranger had flung hi; so at last, with an effort, he said:
”Well; is there any thing you want of er, ”I reached the village to-day to call at the bank, but found it closed”
”Oh! I suppose you've got a draft on er, mysteriously ”I suppose Iyour head about it, then,” returned Potts; ”I won't pay”
”You won't?”
”Not a penny”
A sharp, sudden ser's face
”Perhaps if you knehat the draft is, you would feel differently”
”I don't care what it is”
”That depends upon the drawer”
”I don't care who the drawer is I won't pay it I don't care even if it's S to be bullied any longer I've borne enough You needn't look so very grand,”
he continued, pettishly; ”I see through you, and you can't keep up this sort of thing er”
”You appear to hint that you knoho I a of that sort,” said Potts, rudely; ”and let me tell you I don't care who you are”
”That depends,” rejoined the other, calmly, ”very much upon circuet any thing out of me--not this tier, ”is different from those which were presented at the bank counter”
He spoke in a tone of deep solemnity, with a tone which see upon its victi over him in spite of himself He said not a word
”My draft,” continued the stranger, in a tone which was still ressive in its dominant and self-assertive power--”o”