At any rate, he meant to ascertain whether or not the critic was susceptible of satire at his own expense.
He walked up to the window, elevated his eyebrows at the frowning person within, pretended to read the words on the screen, looked again at the man inside, and shook his head gravely in the manner of one who has accurately determined cause and effect.
Fred Elkin was quick-witted enough to appreciate Grant's unspoken comment.

He was also unmannerly enough to put out his tongue.

Then Grant laughed, and turned on his heel.
Mr.Siddle, quietly observant of recent comings and goings, was standing at the door of the shop, and missed no item of this dumb show.

He raised both hands in silent condemnation of Elkin's childishness, whereupon the horse-dealer jerked a thumb toward Grant's retreating figure, and went through a rapid pantomime of the hanging process.

His crony disapproved again, and went in.