The Rise of Roscoe Paine

ed the ashes from his cigar, waited an

t my letter

," I

d that man of mine might

that he had a habit of doing things quickly. His sentences were short and to the point and he spoke and a

r, if he did, he was not interested in the weather. For my part I found the situation embarrassing.

o my place this forenoon,"

o.

y n

la Jed Dean and Alvin Baker. But to assert it now, after he had done the unexpected, after

ur letter until a

decided to hunt you up. I called at your house. Th

ime. It was natural, perhaps, that he should presu

or its curtness. He did not refer to Dorinda again. She

y. Then, nodding toward the dismembered

ot exa

ke that?" indicating the Comfo

nd fifty dollars, I

ve! Don't

t that boat

as to rise and turn toward the door. I watched him, wondering what was going to happ

doing off there?"

here he wa

," I answered. "He's

for wh

t you New York

l 'em, d

es

ou people down here have any servants' doors to your houses? There have been no less than fifty peddlers on my porch since

id not seem to expect any. He watched Zeb ra

ver to my house

is and again I did not

and they ask me ten questions a minute. They are unnecessary questions but if I don't answer them the fellows are sure to make some fool mistake

scussed in that boathouse. I did not like his manner, yet I had a feeling that it was his usual on

, can't you?"

ose I c

you're too b

I rather think I had turned red. He did not smile

come,"

I won't keep yo

summons to court, instead of making proclamations of defiance to mother and Lute Rogers. This seemed such a complete backdown. As we passed the house I saw Lute peering

e until we were just at the edge of the grove by

is land, don't

es

a good vie

r point it embraced nearly the whole of the bay in f

nd toward the c

s town, they tell me," he said. "Permanen

D

mer resorts they squeeze it out of the city people, I know that. But there a

masculine Denboro fished

asked. "You said you w

thing at present,"

of a

a part of the business you wish

. I don't know whether he took the hint or merely lost interest in the s

ooting and sometimes borrowed my decoys. But, since it changed hands, I had not been nearer to it than the Lane. With the new wing and the other additions it was enormous. It fairly reeked of money, though, so far as I was a judge, the taste shown in rebuilding and decorating was good. We turned the corner, where Asa Peters, the head carpenter, came h

not trouble to lower his voice. "Come on, Paine," he added, and we passed a long line of windows

iption, as the "minister-lookin'" butler, led us through a hall about as large as our sitting-room, dining-room and kitchen combined, but bearing no other resemblance to these apartments, and opened another door, th

a boy, the sight of the books in their cases along the walls gave me a feeling almost of homesickness. My resentment against my

ather upholstered chair and w

took a cigar from his po

ut I was not going to smoke

e cigar himself, from the stump of his former one. Then he crossed h

e, you say. Your property ends at the fence thi

yours begins,

this side o

ane. It isn't a

all it. Road or lane or

es

elongs to you, personally,

t see what business of his my

yours, if it was tied up or mortgaged in any

N

o brass tacks and save time.

ked a

?" I repea

t, of course. I don't expect you to give it

light. Captain Jed Dean's mysterious conversation at th

patiently. Then, without

e more question. That road-or lane, or whatever it

more brilliant. I co

ly. "It is a private

that land of yours

ely know," I said. "I've

the Lower Road-that's what you call the one above here, isn't it?-to the beach. The strip I want is about three hundred f

e aboard. However, I d

want to bu

rea

you had land e

ems I haven't. Well, what's

on, I-I'm

rgaining. Name your price and, if it's anywhere within reason, we won't haggle. I expect to pay more than anyone else would. That's

do you wa

ell you. They haven't anyth

ot so

you mean

s in the Shore L

now

I presume the La

prised, and, I thoug

said; "supp

ill be, w

life it will

know that I

back in

repeated, slowly. "What the

And, besides,

errupt

l?" he demanded. "The land

much.

ch that you've got al

through. I ros

Mr. Colto

d. "Hold on! Wher

here is any use of

of my business how rich you are, and I beg yo

his cigar, which had gone out, i

do you mean by saying you won't sell that la

I d

wouldn't sell for a price. Look here! I haven't got time to do any Down-East horse-jockeying. I'll

generous offer. I couldn't help thinking what Mo

ou say?" h

r question. "Mr. Colton," I asked, "why

rence does it make to you

enboro people for years. It i

efore he spoke again. When he

. Paine, does the town pay you

N

en bidding

N

ne else a

think n

bbling at your hook. Well, they've got to bite quick and swallow some to get ahead of me. I w

you want t

ere came a knock at the d

sir-" he began. His

n't see any one now, Johnson. If it i

to know if you have bought that road. She says three of those 'orrid fishcarts have g

it," snapped the head

ed orders. Colt

on the veranda or at a window we have to watch a procession of jays driving smelly fish carts through that lane of yours, or be stared at by a gang of countrymen hanging over the fence. It's a nuisance. It is bad enough for me or my daughter and our guests, but it will be the ruination of my wife's nerves,

ok my

. Colton," I said, "but I can't

n't five hun

a good

y not ac

at I wanted to sell, I could n

afraid the town will be sore

great inconve

fford to be a philanthropist? Are you one of

had lessened somewhat when he spoke of

u?" he

I said a while ago, Mr. Colton, I

y n

ason, I promised not to sell it wit

s cigar and stoo

spirit. You think, by hanging off and playing me against this other sucker

lanced at it, and thrust

now what the game is we'll talk to the point. It's highway robbery, but I

my temper by main strength and I

shakes your public spirit

ed, and starte

y the Lord Harry! the fellow is crazy. Six h

N

t in thunder

the devil," I retorted, and

d from without. I stepped back and to one side involuntarily, as the door opened and into the library came,

son says you've bought that horrid r

ng-seaweed, I believe it was-as we came along with the car. Oscar had to slow down to squ

lady inter

ur pardon, Father. I thought you we

cognize me, I think-probably I had not made sufficient impression upon her mind even for casual remembrance-but I recognized her. She was the girl with the dark eyes, whose look of

"Are we?" he said. "I-What! W

my hair. I was too astonished and chagrined to speak or even move, though I wanted

ictor,"

elf. It took more than a trifl

," he repeated. "R

the three of u

began. "Mab

rs of locomotion. I was on

outed Colt

de her manner of doing it seem like an insult, but, imagination or reality, it was the one thing necessary to clench my resolution. Now when she looked at me I returned the look with interest. I strode through the doorway and across the

I turned and saw, at the big window at the end of the "Newport villa," a group of three staring in my direction: Colton, his daughter and that

not

he gate and ran to meet me.

"You went over to his house with him, didn't you! I see you and at f

n along beside me, stil

at did he say to you? What did you s

to the devil," I a

go of m

rk loony!" he gasped; and co

p the back stairs to my