"
"Nevertheless, Uncle Seth, I cannot understand why he should make
such a furious attack upon your employee."
The Colonel laughed with a fair imitation of sincerity and tolerant
amusement. "My dear, that is no mystery to me. There are men who,
finding it impossible or inadvisable to make a physical attack upon
their enemy, find ample satisfaction in poisoning his favourite dog,
burning his house, or beating up one of his faithful employees.
Cardigan picked on Rondeau for the reason that a few days ago he
tried to hire Rondeau away from me--offered him twenty-five dollars a
month more than I was paying him, by George! Of course when Rondeau
came to me with Cardigan's proposition, I promptly met Cardigan's bid
and retained Rondeau; consequently Cardigan hates us both and took
the earliest opportunity to vent his spite on us."
The Colonel sighed and brushed the dirt and leaves from his tweeds.
"Thunder," he continued philosophically, "it's all in the game, so
why worry over it? And why continue to discuss an unpleasant topic,
my dear?"
A groan from the Black Minorca challenged her attention. "I think
that man is badly hurt, Uncle," she suggested.
"Serves him right," he returned coldly. "He tackled that cyclone full
twenty feet in advance of the others; if they'd all closed in
together, they would have pulled him down.
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