第16章

"You don't care to sell!" he repeated, slowly."What the devil do you mean by that?""What I said.And, besides, Mr.Colton, I--"He interrupted me.

"Why don't you care to sell?" he demanded."The land is no good to you, is it?""Not much.No."

"Humph! Are you so rich that you've got all the money you want?"I was angry all through.I rose from my chair.

"Good day, Mr.Colton," I said.

"Here!" he shouted."Hold on! Where are you going?""I can't see that there is any use of our talking further.""No use? Why-- There! there! sit down.It's none of my business how rich you are, and I beg your pardon.Sit down.Sit down, man, I tell you!"I sat down, reluctantly.He threw his cigar, which had gone out, into the fireplace and lit another.

"Say," he said, "you surprise me, Paine.What do you mean by saying you won't sell that land? You don't know what I'll pay for it yet.""No, I don't."

"Then how do you know you won't sell it? I never had anything yet--except my wife and family--that I wouldn't sell for a price.Look here! I haven't got time to do any Down-East horse-jockeying.I'll make you an offer.I'll give you five hundred dollars cash for that strip of land.What do you say?"I didn't say anything.Five hundred dollars was a generous offer.

I couldn't help thinking what Mother and I might do with that five hundred dollars.

"What do you say?" he repeated.

I answered, Yankee fashion, with another question."Mr.Colton," Iasked, "why do you want to close that Shore Lane?""Because I do.What difference does it make to you why I want to close it?""That Lane has been used by Denboro people for years.It is almost a public necessity."He puffed twice on his cigar before he spoke again.When he did it was in a different tone.

"I see," he said."Humph! I see.Paine, does the town pay you rent for the use of that road?""No."

"Has it been bidding to buy it?"

"No."

"Is any one else after it?"

"No-o.I think not.But--"

"You THINK not.That means you're not sure.You've had a bite somewhere.Somebody has been nibbling at your hook.Well, they've got to bite quick and swallow some to get ahead of me.I want that road closed and I'm going to have it closed, sooner or later.I'd prefer it sooner.""But why do you want to close it?"

Before he could answer there came a knock at the door.The butler appeared.

"I beg your pardon, sir--" he began.His master cut him short.

"Tell 'em to wait," he ordered."I can't see any one now, Johnson.

If it is that damned carpenter he can wait.""It isn't the carpenter, sir," explained Johnson."It's Mrs.

Colton, sir.She wishes to know if you have bought that road.She says three of those 'orrid fishcarts have gone by in the last hour, sir, and they are making her very nervous.That's all, sir.""Tell her I've bought it," snapped the head of the house."Get out."The butler obeyed orders.Colton turned to me.

"You heard that, Paine," he said."That's my reason, the principal one.I bought this place principally on account of Mrs.Colton's health.The doctors said she needed quiet and rest.I thought she could have them here--God knows the place looked forsaken enough--but it appears she can't.Whenever she or I sit on the veranda or at a window we have to watch a procession of jays driving smelly fish carts through that lane of yours, or be stared at by a gang of countrymen hanging over the fence.It's a nuisance.It is bad enough for me or my daughter and our guests, but it will be the ruination of my wife's nerves, and I can't stand for that.You see the position I'm in.You heard what I told that butler.I said Ihad bought the road.You wouldn't make me a liar, would you? I'll give you five hundred for that bunch of sand.You couldn't get more for it if you sold it by the pound, like tea.Say yes, and close the deal."I shook my head.

"I understand your position, Mr.Colton," I said, "but I can't say yes.Not now, at any rate.""Why not? Isn't five hundred enough?"

"It's a good offer."

"Then why not accept it?"

"Because, if I were certain that I wanted to sell, I could not accept any offer just now.""Why not? See here! are you afraid the town will be sore because the road is closed?""It would be a great inconvenience to them.""It's a greater one to me as it is.Can you afford to be a philanthropist? Are you one of those public-spirited citizens we read about?"He was sneering now, and my anger, which had lessened somewhat when he spoke of his wife's ill health, was rising again.

"Are you?" he repeated.

"I don't know as to that.But, as I said a while ago, Mr.Colton, I couldn't sell that land to you now.""Why not?"

"Because, if there were no other reason, I promised not to sell it without telling another person first."He threw down his cigar and stood up.I rose also.