Part 27 (2/2)

Thus the quarrel came to an end.

”So you've sold the telegraph?” said George.

”Yes,” said Harry. ”And I think we made a pretty good bargain. I didn't think we'd do so well when we started.”

”No, it didn't look like it,” said George; ”but those mica men mayn't find it such a good bargain for them.”

”Why?” asked Harry.

”Well, suppose some of the people who own the land that the line's on, don't want these strangers to have a telegraph on their farms. What's to hinder them ordering them off?”

”They wouldn't do that,” said Harry. ”None of the people about here would be so mean. They'd know that it might upset our bargain. There isn't a man who would do it.”

”All right,” said George. ”I hope they won't. But how are you going to keep the old woman now?”

”How?” said Harry. ”Why, we can keep her easy enough. We got three hundred and fifty dollars from the Mica Company.”

”And how much is her share?”

”Over two hundred and sixty,” answered Harry.

”Is that all?” said George. ”That won't give her much income. The interest on it will only be about fifteen dollars a year, and she can't live on that.”

”But we didn't think of using only the interest,” said Harry.

”So you're going to break in on the princ.i.p.al, are you? That's a poor way of doing.”

”Oh, we'll get along well enough,” said Harry. ”Two hundred and sixty dollars is a good deal of money. Good-by! I must get on. Come up, Selim!”

”Good-by!” said George; and he spurred up his horse and rode off gayly.

But not so Harry. He was quite depressed in spirits by George's remarks.

He wished he had not met him, and he determined that he would not bother his head by looking at the matter as George did. It was ridiculous.

But the more he thought of it, the more sorry he felt that he had met George Purvis.

CHAPTER XXIX.

ONCE MORE IN THE WOODS.

”Harry,” said Kate, the next day after this meeting, ”when are you going to get your gun back?”

<script>