But Gee! the minute I seen him I got all nervoused
up and I jest says, 'Here, read that there piece--your wife's comin'
next Thursday!'
"Well, sir, at those careless words of mine he gives a guilty start, his
face blanched with horror, and he hissed through his set teeth, 'Which
one?'--as quick as that.
"_Me_?--I couldn't git out a word for a minute, and he started for me.
'Which _one_?' he repeats, hoarse with rage, and that gives me an idee.
'Stand back!' I cried fearlessly, 'stand back, coward that you are--make
no word of outcry, or it will go hard with you--they're _both_ comin','
I says,--'this one's comin' next week and the other one's comin' the
week after, soon as she can git some sewin' done up.' _Me?_--I was
leadin' him on, you understand--for we hadn't knowed there was more than
one. Well, at that he read the piece over and set down in his chair with
both hands up to his head and he says, 'I'm bein' hounded by a venal
press, that's what's the matter; I'm bein' hounded from pillar to post.'
"At this I broke in with a sneer,--'Oh, we've only just began,' I says.
'We'll have the whole lot of 'em here inside of six weeks--children and
all.' 'It's a lie,' he hissed at me.
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