ever said a word, but after he'd gone there was
a kind of general sentiment that Colton wanted to buy the Shore Lane
land off you, and that you and he had some words about it. Anyhow, you
didn't sell the land, did you?"

"Suppose I did, or didn't; what of it?"

"Why, nothin', nothin'. Only, I tell you, Ros--" he looked carefully
about to make sure no one was listening; "I tell you; it's just this
way. I can understand how you feel about it. You know Dean and some of
the others are sore on Mr. Colton 'cause he's got more money than they
have, and they want to make all the trouble for him they can. Jed's got
an idea that he's after that Lane, to close it off, and he's stirrin' up
sentiment against its bein' closed. He's talkin' about the town buyin'
it. Now of course I know your position. You want to get just as high a
price as you can afore you sell."

"That's my position, is it?"

"It would be the position of any sensible man, wouldn't it? I don't
blame you. Now, what I wanted to say was this." He bent forward and
lowered his voice to a whisper. "Why don't you let me handle this thing
for you? I can do it better'n you. I see Cap'n Jed every night, you
might say. And I see consider'ble of Mr. Colton. He knows I'm postmaster
in this town and sort of prominent. All the smart folks ain't in the
Board of Selectmen. I'll keep you posted; see? You just set back and
pretend you don't want to sell at all. Colton, he'll bid and Jed and
his gang'll bid. I'll tell each what the other bids, and we'll keep her
jumpin'. When we get to the last jump, we'll sell--and not afore. Of
course Mr. Colton 'll get it, in the end."

"Oh, he will! What makes you think so?"

"What makes me think so? Don't be foolish. Ain't he a millionaire? How
can Denboro stand up against a millionaire? I tell you, Ros, it's money
counts in this world, and it pays to stand in with them that's got it.
I'm goin' to stand in with Mr. Colton. But I'll pretend to stand in with
Dean just as much. I can help a whole lot. Why, I shouldn't wonder if,
between us, we could get--er--er--I don't know how much, for that land.
What do you say?"

I smiled. "It's very kind of you, Sim, to be willing to go to so much
trouble on my account," I observed. "I didn't know there was such
disinterested kindness in Denboro."

Sim seemed a bit put out. "Why," he stammered, "I--I--of
course I presumed likely you'd be willin' to pay me a little
commission--or--or--somethin'. I thou