Part 47 (1/2)
”I made five hundred dollars.”
”Thats only a little more than a hundred dollars a year. Frank Dobson has saved as much as that and he's stayed right here in Burton.”
”I'm glad of that,” said Pettigrew heartily. ”Frank is a rousing good fellow. If it hadn't been for him I couldn't have gone to Montana.”
”It doesn't seem to have done you much good, as I can see.”
”Oh, well, I am satisfied. Let me introduce my friend, Mr. Rodney Ropes of New York.”
”Glad to meet you,” said Hector with a jerk of the head.
”Rodney, won't you sit inside? I want to sit outide with Hector.”
”All right, Mr. Pettigrew.”
”Who is that boy?” asked Hector with characteristic Yankee curiosity, as he seized the lines and started the horses.
”A rich young fellow from New York. I got acquainted with him there.”
”Rich is he?” Jefferson Pettigrew nodded.
”How rich do you think?”
”Shouldn't wonder if he might be worth a hundred thousand.”
”You don't say! Why, he beat Squire Sheldon.”
”Oh, yes, Squire Sheldon wouldn't be considered rich in New York.”
”How did he get his money?”
”His father left him a fortune.”
”Is that so? I wish my father had left me a fortune.”
”He did, didn't he?”
”Yes, he did! When his estate was settled I got seventy five dollars, if you call that a fortune. But I say, what brings the boy to Burton?”
”His friends.h.i.+p for me, I expect. Besides he may invest in a place.”
”There's the old Morse place for sale. Do you think he'd buy that?”
”It wouldn't be nice enough for him. I don't know any place that would be good enough except the squire's.”
”The squire wouldn't sell.”
”Oh, well, I don't know as Rodney would care to locate in Burton.”