road, if that will suit him; but he shall not use one inch of my
property as a common thoroughfare."

Mr. Dix still tried to argue the matter with Bolton, but the latter
had permitted himself to get angry, and angry men are generally deaf
as an adder to the voice of reason. So the neighbour, who called in
the hope of turning the new occupant of the farm from his purpose,
and thus saving trouble to both himself and Mr. Halpin, retired
without effecting what he wished to accomplish.

It would be doing injustice to the feelings of Mr. Bolton to say,
that he did not feel some emotions of regret for his precipitate
action. But, having assumed so decided a position in the matter, he
could not think of retracing a step that he had taken. Hasty and
positive men are generally weak-minded, and this weakness usually
shows itself in a pride of consistency. If they say a thing, they
will persevere in doing it, right or wrong, for fear that others may
think them vacillating, or, what they really are, weak-minded. Just
such a man was Mr. Bolton.

"I've said it, and I'll do it!" That was one of his favourite
expressions. And he repeated it to himself, now, to drive off the
repentant feelings that came into his mind.

At dinner-time, when Mr. Bolton sat down to the table, he found,
placed just before him, a print of the golden butter sent to his
wife on that very morning by Mrs. Halpin. The sight annoyed and
reproved him. He felt that he had been hasty, unneighbourly, and, it
might be, unjust; for, as little gleams of reflection came breaking
in one after another upon his mind, he saw that a right of way for