Part 10 (1/2)
The man looked astonished, but he complied with the suggestion, and afterward stated his charge, which was unusually high. Edgar noticed that Grant was watching George with quiet interest.
”I suppose you have a note from Mrs. Marston fixing the price?”
The other explained that the matter had been arranged verbally.
”Was anybody else present when you came to terms?” George asked.
”You can quit feeling, and pay up!” exclaimed the stranger. ”I've told you how much it is.”
”The trouble is that you're asking nearly double the usual charge per acre.”
Grant smiled approvingly, but the man advanced with a truculent air to the table at which George was sitting.
”I've done the work; that's good enough for me.”
”You have done it badly, but I'll give you a check now, based on the regular charge, which should come to”--George made a quick calculation on a strip of paper and handed it to the man. ”This is merely because you seem in a hurry. If you're not satisfied, you can wait until I get an answer from Mrs. Marston; or I'll ask some of my neighbors to arbitrate.”
The man hesitated, with anger in his face.
”I guess I'll take the check,” he said sullenly.
Crossing the floor, George took a pen and some paper from a shelf.
”Sit here,” he said, when he came back, ”and write me a receipt.”
The other did as he was bidden, and George pointed toward the door.
”That's settled; I won't keep you.”
The man looked hard at him, and then went quietly out; and Grant leaned back in his seat with a soft laugh.
”You fixed him,” he remarked. ”He has the name of being a tough.”
”I suppose an Englishman newly out is considered lawful prey.”
”A few of them deserve it,” Grant returned dryly. ”But let that go.
What do you think of the place?”
George felt that he could trust the farmer. He had spent a depressing day, during which all he saw had discouraged him. Marston had farmed in a singularly wasteful manner; fences and outbuildings were in very bad repair; half the implements were useless; and it would be a long and costly task to put things straight.
”I feel that I'll have my hands full. In fact, I'm a little worried about it; there are so many changes that must be made.”
”Sure. Where are you going to begin?”
”By getting as much summer fallowing as possible done on the second quarter-section. The first has been growing wheat for some time; I'll sew part of that with timothy. There's one bit of stiff land I might put in flax. I've thought of trying corn for the silo.”
”Timothy and a silo?” commented Grant.
”You're going in for stock, then? It means laying out money, and a slow return.”