It never occurred to him now that the Happy Family might be perpetrating one of their jokes.

He had looked at their faces, you see.

They meant to quit him--quit him cold just as spring work was beginning.

They were ashamed of themselves, of course; they had a right to be ashamed, he thought bitterly.

It hurt--hurt so that he would have died before he would ask for excuse, reason, grievance, explanation--for whatever motive impelled them.