"
He knit his brows closely, and put on a stern aspect, very unusual
to him.
"You probably forget," said Judge Bigelow, "that you have proposed a
change of ownership in property now occupied by him?"
"That was simply to give you more latitude in settling up the estate
in your hands. I said we were willing to accept that property at a
fair valuation, thinking it would offer a desirable mode of
liquidation. It is for you to say yea or nay to us; not Ralph Dewey.
If you cannot gain his consent to the transfer, there is an end of
that proposal."
I really commiserated the embarrassment shown by the Judge and
Squire. They seemed to be in a maze, without perceiving the right
way of extrication. Dewey appeared to have over them some mysterious
influence, above which they had not power to rise.
"If Ralph will not consent--"
"Ralph must consent!" exclaimed Squire Floyd, with a sudden energy
of manner, and the exhibition of a degree of will not shown before.
"Ralph _must_ consent! The mode of adjustment proposed by Mr.
Wallingford is the one easiest for us to accomplish, and I shall
insist on Dewey's giving up his opposition.
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