Nodding to me curtly, he unlocked the
bookcase and took two crown pieces from a leathern purse which lay next
to the bag. Then he returned to the bar and banged the coins on the
counter with fury.
"Take thy brass!" he shouted angrily. "Take thy brass! But thou'rt a
damned shark, Charlie, and if anybody 'ud give me a plug o' bacca for
doing it, I'd bash thy face in."
The other sniggered contentedly as he picked up his money.
"A bet's a bet," said Charlie.
He was clearly accustomed to an occasional violence of demeanour from
Jos Myatt, and felt no fear. But he was wrong in feeling no fear. He had
not allowed, in his estimate of the situation, for the exasperated
condition of Jos Hyatt's nerves under the unique experiences of the
night.
Jos's face twisted into a hundred wrinkles and his hand seized Charlie
by the arm whose hand held the coins.
"Drop 'em!" he cried loudly, repenting his naive honesty. "Drop 'em! Or
I'll--"
The stout woman, her apron all soiled, now came swiftly and scarce heard
into the parlour, and stood at the door leading to the bar-room.
"What's up, Susannah?" Jos demanded in a new voice.
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