"I did it when I fell over a stove at the settlement.

The pipe came down and I imagine the edge struck me." "You would have known if it hit you nor not." "Well, it might have been the top of the stove.

The molding was sharp." "But how did you fall against the stove ?" Helen persisted.
Festing did not want to tell her about the fight with Wilkinson.

He had resolved to say nothing about the matter until morning.
"I tripped.

There was a chair in the way and it caught my foot." Helen did not look altogether satisfied, but let the matter go.
"Has the hail done much damage to the wheat ?" "Yes," said Festing, with grim quietness.