"You folks seem mighty prosperous in spite of the hail," he sneered. "I can't find a man in this town who's open to earn a couple of dollars."
Some of them grinned, but none made any answer. His tone was offensive, in the first place, and, while nobody is overburdened with riches on the prairie, the average Westerner has his own ideas as to what is becoming.
The man hesitated, and though he strolled off toward the stables, Nevis's sharpness cost him several minutes' unnecessary delay. Eventually the buggy was brought out, and nobody said anything when Nevis got in and flicked the horse smartly with a whip, though the tilt of the seat must have been evident to most of the lookers-on. Alison touched Thorne's arm.
"Hadn't you better call to him?" she suggested.
The next moment the warning was rendered unnecessary, for there was a crash, and the seat of the buggy collapsed. Nevis lurched violently forward, but he managed to recover his balance and pull up the horse. Then he swung himself down, and after crawling under the vehicle, stood up with a frowning face while the loungers began to gather about him.
"There's a bolt out. I didn't notice it when I drove up," he grumbled. "It's three-eighths by the hole, I think. Ask Bill if he's got anything of the kind in the stable."
Bill, who had been standing near, sauntered away, and it was at least five minutes before he came back, empty-handed.
"I've nothing that will fit," he announced.
"Then go in and see if they've got one at the hardware store," ordered Nevis. "I ought to have thought of that earlier."
Bill was away a long while this time, and when he returned he held up an unusually long bolt for inspection.
"Guess it won't be any use," he said. "Thread doesn't go far enough to let the nut to the plate."
"Then what in thunder did you bring it for?" Nevis asked with rising anger.
"Have you been giving that man a hint?" she inquired.
"No," answered Thorne, smiling; "it would have been wasted in any case. Nevis has succeeded in riling him. He couldn't have managed the thing better if I had prompted him."
In the meanwhile Bill languidly affected to consider Nevis's question.
"I guess I wanted to be quite sure it wouldn't fit," he replied at length. "If it doesn't, I could see if he has got a shorter one in another package."