Part 23 (1/2)
”I want to watch this sale first”
By this time another person had offered a dollar and a half for the albuure
But he overheard the store-keeper's words, and his face flushed with indignation He stopped short, and pointed directly at the man
”Will you please come forward a moment?” he asked, in a loud and clear tone
”What--what's that?” stammered the store-keeper, taken by surprise
”I asked you if you would please come forward”
”What for?”
”I wish to ask you what right you have to come in here and endeavor to take away my possible customers?”
”Why, you--I ain't taken any one away”
”But you were just trying to induce that man to leave--told him you could sell hie”
”What if I did--I can, too”
”I doubt it If you could, folks would not flock to such an auction-sale as this They cos cheap--because they are not overcharged, as they are in sooods--because they like to see a boy get along in spite of what some mean man may do to take away his business--because they----”
But Matt could go no further His unexpected speech brought forth a sudden applause that for the moment drowned out every other sound
CHAPTER XX
ACCUSED OF STEALING
It was plain to see that the store-keeper who had thus thrust hih favor with the residents of the country town To tell the truth, the man was not liked by any one, and was only patronized by force of circuhlyoff steadily for several years had not tended to sweeten his tehed a young man near the auction stand
”Yes, an' Ike deserves it,” returned a woht to come in here and abuse the boy”
”That's so, he ain't,” added another wo,” remarked a jolly-faced farmer ”If he had Pickle Mountain to sell he would want double price for it”
This bit of huh at the store-keeper's expense, and put him in even worse humor than had Matt's caustic remarks
”See here, I didn't co auctioneer in a bullying tone
”You were not asked in here at all, to e,” returned Matt