FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  
31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   >>   >|  
notion that he ought to protect his tenants. "It's sometimes an advantage to have two traders in a place," he remarked. "A certain amount of competition is healthy." "I don't know if it would be an advantage to the estate, and imagine you would not get a tenant to pay what Bell offers," Hayes replied. "Besides, rival traders sometimes agree to keep up prices, and competition does not always make things cheap." "That's one of the ridiculous arguments people who want the Government to manage everything sometimes use," said Osborn with a scornful gesture. Hayes smiled, "It is very well known that I am not an advocate of State ownership. All the same, unnecessary competition would be wasteful in the dale. For example, if you have two tenants at the station, the farmers who deal with the new man must use their carts, each coming separately for the small load a horse can take up Redmire bank, while Bell's trailer, after bringing down the slate, would go back empty. Then I hear some talk about a fresh appeal to the council to make the loop road round the hill." For a moment or two Osborn did not answer. Redmire bank was an obstacle to horse traffic, and the road surveyor had plans for easing the gradient that would necessitate cutting down a wood where Osborn's pheasants found shelter. He had refused permission, and the matter had been dropped; but, if the farmers insisted, the council might be forced to use their powers. He was obstinate, and did not mean to let them have the wood unless he could get his price. "You know my opinion about that?" he said. "Yes," said Hayes; "I imagine it would be prudent not to have the matter brought up. However, if Bell can send back his lurry full, the economy is plain. It will enable him to sell his coal and seed at a moderate price and pay a higher rent." "That's so," Osborn agreed, and knitted his brows. He doubted if Bell would give his customers the benefit of the cheaper haulage, but the advantage of getting a higher rent was obvious. Osborn knew he was being persuaded to do a shabby thing and hesitated. Money, however, was needed and must be got. "Very well," he said, "Mr. Bell can have the lease." They talked about something else, and when Osborn went fishing after the others left the wind had dropped, the sun was bright, and the trout would not rise. He felt rather injured, because he had paid for his attention to duty, when he joined his wife and daughter at
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  
31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Osborn

 
advantage
 

competition

 
farmers
 

dropped

 

council

 
Redmire
 

higher

 

matter

 

tenants


imagine

 
traders
 

enable

 

doubted

 

moderate

 

agreed

 

knitted

 
economy
 

protect

 

However


powers

 

obstinate

 

forced

 

insisted

 

prudent

 
brought
 
opinion
 

customers

 
bright
 

notion


fishing
 

joined

 

daughter

 

attention

 
injured
 

talked

 

persuaded

 

obvious

 
permission
 

benefit


cheaper

 
haulage
 

shabby

 

needed

 

hesitated

 
Besides
 

wasteful

 
unnecessary
 

ownership

 

station