im you didn't want to
sell."

"Sartin I did. I told him all I had was invested here, that my first
season had been a good one considerin' 'twas the first, and that my
prospects were all I had a right to hope for. I told him I was sorry
if my boarders had plagued him and I'd try to see they didn't do so any
more. But I couldn't think of sellin' out."

"And what did he say to that?"

"What didn't he say? What I said didn't make a bit of difference.
He made proclamation that any reasonable price I might name he would
consider. He wouldn't submit to what he called 'extortion' of course,
but he would be perfectly fair, and all that. I kept sayin' no and he
kept sayin' yes. Our talk got more and more sultry long towards the last
of it. He told me that he made it a p'int to get what he wanted and he
was goin' to get it now. One thing he told me I didn't know afore,
and it's kind of odd, too. He said the land this house sits on used to
belong to him once. His father left it to him. He sold it a long while
ago, afore my Uncle Abner bought, I guess. Now he's sorry he sold."

"That was queer, what else did he say?"

"Oh, he said a whole lot about his desire to make East Wellmouth his
permanent residence, about the taxes he paid, and what he meant to
do for the town. I told him that was all right and fine and the town
appreciated it, but that I'd got to think of myself; this boardin'-house
idea was a life-long ambition of mine and I couldn't give it up."

"And how did it end?"

"Just where it begun. His last words to me was that if I wouldn't listen
to reason then he'd have to try other ways. And he warned me that he
should try 'em. I said go ahead and try, or words not quite so sassy
but meanin' the same. And out he marched. Oh, Emily, WHAT do you suppose
he'll try? He can't MAKE me sell out, can he? Oh, dear! Oh, dear! here's
more trouble. And I thought there was enough already!"

Emily did her best to reassure her relative, telling the latter that of
course she could not be forced into parting with what was her own and
that Mr. Kendrick was talking merely for effect; but it was plain that
Miss Howes herself was troubled.

"I think you should consult a lawyer, Auntie," she said. "I am sure I
am right, and that that man can't make you do what you don't want to do.
But I don't know, of course, and a lawyer would know because that is
his business. Why don't you ask John--Mr. John Kendrick, I mean? He will
advise you."