Part 4 (1/2)
”Betty,” she said, ”there is soe about this Gold Run Ranch of ours This man----”
”Yes?” prompted Betty, as herwanted to buy the ranch for a western client of his It see to pay me my own price--within reasonable lier to ain, beginning to look worried herself
”Well,” continued Mrs Nelson, ”I decided then and there that I wouldn't sell to anybody”
”Oh, Mother!” Betty was all eagerness now, ”do you really mean it?”
”Yes, I do,” said Mrs Nelson, deter unusual about Gold Run or John Josephs and this et it away fro to let the, until I see my property at least”
”Good for you, Mother!” cried Betty enthusiastically ”I've been fearfully worried for fear you wouldn't see it that way Did you tell the man in the check suit that?”
”No, I didn't,” said Mrs Nelson, s as she pressed Betty's hand
”Now you will see what a schemer your mother is, my dear I told him I hadn't definitely decided yet on any course, that I had already had a very good offer for my ranch, and that he would have to see Allen Washburn, our attorney I wanted Allen to have a chance to size this man up and see if he has the same impression of hily, ”I think you are wonderful” Then after a little pause, she added shyly: ”You really think a great deal of--of Allen's ability, don't you, Mother?”
”I do, dear,” said Mrs Nelson, stroking the brown head gently Then she added with a hint of mischief in her voice: ”Your father and I have come to feel toward him almost as if he were our son”
”Oh--” murmured Betty, very faintly
Two days went by--anxious ones for the girls In the Nelson ho roouest
”Well,” Mrs Nelson said, with erness in her voice, ”what did you think of our loudly-dressed friend, Allen?”
”Was he as bad as Mrs Nelson's description enially through a cloud of cigar s her best to be calerly for Allen's reply
”I don't know just how Mrs Nelson described this fellow to you, I'lance toward Betty'sbad enough”
”Then you didn't like him either?” asked Mrs Nelson quickly
”I neither liked hi with a wry ser about anything I have that that isn't his real name”
”You think he's a sharper then?” Mr Nelson interjected
”Yes, sir,” responded Allen, his young face earnestly intent ”He looks to me like one of these confidence men who abound in the western boo his last cent into soustedly ”The only sure thing aboutbust'
and losing every penny you have in the world”
”And yet,” Mr Nelson commented, ”these sharpers, 'confidence e to keep just within the law”
”Oh yes,” said Allen, ”they e to keep the letter of the law--sometimes But that is just a caution to save their own necks It's the spirit of the law that they violate But we are getting away fro hietic s of this Peter Levine My su up of him is that he is entirely untrustworthy”