Part 21 (2/2)
”If there's been an accident,” he said, ”we're sorry for it. But delay may be dangerous. If some one is hurt--”
”You'll be hurt, if I have my way about it!” snapped the farmer, ”and hurt in a place where it always tells. I mean your pocketbook! That's the kind of a man I am--practical.”
”He means if we've killed or injured any one we'll have to pay damages,” whispered Ned to Tom. ”But don't agree to anything until you see your lawyer. That's a hot one, though, trying to claim damages before he knows who's hurt!”
”I've got to find out more about this,” Tom answered. He started to walk on.
”No you don't!” cried the farmer, with a snarl. ”As I said, you folks has done damage enough with your thres.h.i.+ng machine, or whatever you call it. Now you've got to pay!”
”We are willing to,” said Tom, as courteously as he could. ”But first we want to know who has been hurt, or possibly killed. Don't you think it best to get them to a doctor, and then talk about money damages later?”
”Doctor? Hurt?” cried the farmer, the other men in the auto saying nothing. ”Who said anything about that?”
”I thought,” began Tom, ”that you--”
”I'm talkin' about damages to my barn!” cried the farmer. ”You had no right to go smas.h.i.+ng it up this way, and you've got to pay for it, or my name ain't Amos Kanker!”
”Oh!” and there was great relief in Tom's voice. ”Then we haven't killed any one?”
”I don't know what you've done,” answered the farmer, and his voice was not a pleasant one. ”I'm sure I can't keep track of all your ructions.
All I know is that you've ruined my barn, and you've got to pay for it, and pay good, too!”
”For that old ramshackle?” cried Ned.
”Hus.h.!.+” begged Tom, in a low voice. ”I'm willing to pay, Ned, for the sake of having proved what my tank could do. I'm only too glad to learn no one was hurt. Was there?” he asked, turning to the farmer.
”Was there what?”
”Was there anybody in your barn?”
”Not as I knows on,” was the grouchy answer. ”A man who saw your machine coming thought she was headed for my building, and he run and told me. Then some friends of mine brought me here in their machine. I tell you I've got all the evidence I need ag'in you, an' I'm going to have damages! That barn was worth three thousand dollars if it was worth a cent, and--”
”This matter can easily be settled,” said Tom, trying to keep his temper. ”My name is Swift, and--”
”Don't get swift with me, that's all I ask!” and the farmer laughed grimly at his clumsy joke.
”I'll do whatever is right,” Tom said, with dignity. ”I live over near Shopton, and if you want to send your lawyer to see mine, why--”
”I don't believe in lawyers!” broke in the farmer. ”All they think of is to get what they can for theirselves. And I can do that myself. I'll get it out of you before you leave, or, anyhow, before you take your contraption away,” and he glanced at the tank.
The same suspicion came at once to Tom and Ned, and the latter gave voice to it when he murmured in a low voice to his chum:
”This is a frame-up--a scheme, Tom. He doesn't care a rap for the barn. It's some of that Blakeson's doing, to make trouble for you.”
”I believe you!” agreed Tom. ”Now I know what to do.”
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