I simply told him that it was no business
of mine, and quietly asked him where he had got the gem.
"But I needna ask you that," I added, "for I well ken where you got
it."
"Where did I get it?" he inquired, his face turning as red as the
ruby itself.
"You got it from the old viking's helmet," I replied, "for I saw
you put the thing in your pocket, though you did deny that you had
it that day over at Skaill. But ye'll see what Mr. Drever will say
to your selling what didna rightly belong to you."
"I carena that for Mr. Drever," he said, snapping his fingers. "Nor
for you neither, ye young sneak."
At this he turned from me without further words. But I think there
was more malice against me in his heart than he allowed to appear
on the surface. This incident, and my advantage over him, had at
least the effect of increasing the enmity between us.
Chapter XX. The Opposition Boat.
The little haven of Stromness was ever a quiet place, but never did
it seem so quiet as during the calm which succeeded the storm of
the past week, especially as that calm came on a Sunday, that
quietest of all days in the North. Even the twittering of the
sparrows on the quaint housetops seemed less noisy than usual, and
the women who stood in groups in the narrow street, with their
clean mutch caps, their crimson hubbie jackets and coarse blue
gowns, suppressed their voices almost into whispers as they talked
of the growing quarrel between my father and his new rival, Carver
Kinlay.
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