"I knew it was something like this," Mary Ware said, clinging openly and
unashamed to Abner Levens. "It's why he couldn't defend himself."
Abner nodded. "My flesh and blood was guilty. Could I free myself by
accusin' the husband of this woman?... I calc'lated God meant to destroy
us Levenses, root and branch.... It was his business, not mine."
"I've took note," said Scattergood, "that them that was most strict
about mindin' their own business was gen'ally most diligent about doin'
God's--all unbeknownst to themselves."
CHAPTER XI
HE INVESTS IN SALVATION
From Scattergood Baines's seat on the piazza of his hardware store he
could look across the river and through a side window of the bank.
Scattergood was availing himself of this privilege. As a member of the
finance committee of the bank Scattergood was naturally interested in
that enterprise, so important to the thrifty community, but his interest
at the moment was not exactly official. He was regarding, speculatively,
the back of young Ovid Nixon, the assistant cashier.
His concern for young Ovid was sartorial. It is true that a shiny alpaca
office coat covered the excellent shoulders of the boy, but below that
alpaca and under Scattergood's line of vision were trousers--and
carefully stretched over a hanger on a closet hook was a coat! There was
also a waistcoat, recognized only by the name of _vest_ in Coldriver,
and that very morning Scattergood had seen the three, to say nothing of
a certain shirt and a necktie of sorts, making brave young Ovid's
figure.
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