It was evident, too, that in spite of its apparent spontaneous irritation its intent was studied.

Catch it! Would he?
Oh, yes! Well, she'd see WHO'D catch it! Not him.

No, he'd had enough of this meanness, and wanted it ended! He wasn't a woman to be treated like his sister,--like their mother--like their brother, if it came to that, for he knew how he was to be brought back to take Bijah's place in the spring; he'd heard the whole story.
No, he was going to stand up for his rights,--he was going to be treated as the son of a man who was worth half a million ought to be treated! He wasn't going to be skimped, while his father was wallowing in money that he didn't know what to do with,--money that by rights ought to have been given to their mother and their sister.

Why, even the law wouldn't permit such meanness--if he was dead.

No, he'd come back with Lottie, his wife, to show his father that there was one of the family that couldn't be fooled and bullied, and wouldn't put up with it any longer.
There was going to be a fair division of the property, and his sister Annie's property, and hers--Zuleika's--too, if she'd have the pluck to speak up for herself.