Scattergood Baines

Because this is so it has overlooked or neglected many stories about the man much more indicative of character, and more fascinating

merchant. There is a certain charm in the na?veté with which he was wont to stick his pudgy finger in the affairs of others with benignant purpose; and it is not easy to believe other tales of hardness, of ruthless beating down of opposition, when one repea

g them forthwith; if little Sam Kettleman, junior, and Wade Lumley's boy, Tom, came to blows, Scattergood became peacemaker or referee, as the needs of the moment seemed to dictate. It would be difficult to find a pie in Coldriver which was not marked by his thumb. So it came about that when he became convinced that Grandmother Penny was unhappy because of various restrictions and in

otty problem. An ordinary problem Scattergood could solve with shoes on feet, but let the matter take on eminent difficulty and his toes must be given freedom and elbow room,

interest in life was gone-in short, that she was content to cumber the earth and to wait for the long sleep. To them she was simply one who tarries and is content. Scattergood looked into her sharp, old eyes, eyes that were capable of sudden gleams of humor or flashes of anger, and he knew. He knew that death seemed as distant to Grandmothe

osed that life meant nothing more to her now than to sit in a comfortable rocker and to knit interminable stockings and to remember past years. Scattergood knew that the present compelled her interest and that the future thrilled her. She wanted to participate in life, to be in the midst of events-to continue to live so long as the power of movement and of perception

Penny for Grandma Baines-pervidin' Grandma Baines is fixed so's she kin see; more'n likely she'

nsidered. What thing had hi

could do as she pleased, and nobody to interfere. I calc'late if Grandma Baines 'd 'a' been left alone she'd 'a' found her another husband and t

nder the barber shop where the checker or cribbage championship of the state was decided daily. Two ancient citizens were playing checkers, while a third stood over them, watching with that thrilled concentration with which the ordinary person might watch an only son essaying to cr

r. Spackle

mp of Bogle's? I swanny if 'twan't abou

could I ask you some advice. You bein' experienced like you be,

I kin be of any service to you, I calculate I'm willin'. 'Tain't often folks comes to me for advic

akin' a mite

olt this mornin'. Bet I kin wa

er players. "Sorry I can't linger to watch you, boys," he said, loftily, "but they's importan

ach other, and then with one accord scrambled to the

" said Old

ood wanted of that ol' coot

was a brainy cuss. Hain't he 'most as good a checker player as I be? W

Man Peterson, and th

nce for a few paces; then he reg

when I come acrost a man that holds his years lik

year," sa

t 'a' set you down for a day more 'n fifty-five or six, not with

ttergood. J'ints creak some, but what I got insi

alc'late a man that's got to be past sixty and a woman that's got to b

ed like I be, and the woman was his equal in mind and body, I'

arryin', yoursel

pport a wife, nohow. Son and daughter calc'lates to be mighty kind to me, Scattergood, and gives me dum near al

couple as I been ta

Me 'n' Ma we done fine and saved money. Livin's higher now. Calc'

month 'u'd do it? Thin

able pleasure out of livin', too." They had walked up the street until they were passing the Penny residence. Grandmother Penny was s

old lady," sai

the air of a connoisseur. "Dum'd if she hain't." He lift

, and bobbed her head. "Won't you folks sto

d his brow, and fanned himself with his broad straw hat, whose flappi

But I dunno what I'd do without Mr. Spackles, here, to advise with once in

terest. To be considered a man of wisdom by Scattergood Baines was a distinction in Coldriver even in those days, and for a man actually

advice, Scattergood,"

f'r a man you kin depend on, jest send a call for Mr. Spackles

ergood, but he was of an acuteness not to pass by any of the advantage that accrued from the situation. He

r. Spackles turned to the ol

. Time's comin' when he's a-goin' to amount to su

mportance of Mr. Spackles's, and Mr. Spackles basked in her admiration, a

overalls and ragged hat on the Penny premises, and watched the old gentleman in animated conversation wi

rgood crossed the stre

der if I kin speak with Mr. S

" said Grandmothe

he county seat, Mr. Spackles, and I was w

kin, Scattergo

ircus day, too. Didn't think of that till this minnit. Wonder if you'd dri

" said the flatte

d repeated. "Been to a c

een one f

e buggy and take her along with you! Finish the business in no time, bein' spry like you be, and

red and embarrassed, but

ag'in. To be sure I'll go. Daughter'll make a fuss

kles'll be round f'r you bright and early. Now, if yo

r. Spackles choked and coughed

got me in f'r

on't you want to take Mi

cost money. I hain't got mo

e for nothin', did you? F'r a trip like this here, with a lot hangin

beaming face wa

a successful day, such a day as neither of them had expected ever to see again, and when they drove home through the

it, Ellen?" said Mr

nd nothin' approa

rful good co

you,

d set with you, often,"

replied Grandmother Penny, and she blush

in front of the hardware store. Pliny supplemented and ampl

nny," Pliny said, with a grin. "Don't figger nothin' '

at's the reason? What b

to bury him, and so's Grandmother Penny. Seems like ol' folks allus lays by for the funeral, but that

ttergood learned from no less an a

" said Mr. Spackles, heatedly, "but I seen 't

ther Penny figgerin' on hit

owed she'd have me. But I guess 'twon't never come off now. Seems like I'll never be content ag'i

y, hain't it? Larg

a-

re. Maybe somethin' like

n, Scattergood, if it aims t

s into some venture and come out at t'other end wi

both has-saved

sible to git some good out of it.... I'm goin' away to the city f'r a week or sich a matter. When I come back we

scussed it, and hope made it seem more and more plausible to them. Realizing the fewness of the days remaining to them, they were anxious to utilize every moment. It was Grandmother Pen

ss. It was Coldriver's first experience with this particular method of extracting money from the public, and it came to the front handsomely. Mr. Spackles got wind of the opportunity and told it to Grandmother Penny. She took charge of affairs, compelled her fiancé to go with her to the bank, where they withdrew their savings, and then sought for Mr. Baxter, who, in return for a bulk sum of some five hundred doll

Le's git the money fust. The minnit the money comes in, off we

nt. He, Scattergood, was not the only man in town with the ability to make money. No, indeed, and for proof of it here were the stock certificates, purchased from a delud

s went into th

ght nigh five thousand dollars' wuth of stock off'n Ba

and find things safe in the mornin'?... You hain't got the sense Gawd give field mice-the whole kit and b'ilin' of you. Serves you dum well right, tryin' t

fore he must be right. The news spread, and knots of citizens with lowered heads and anxious eyes gathered on street corners and whispered and nodded toward S

good, about that fell

ly. Then his eyes softened and he lea

this mess, too,

investin'. Me 'n' James was powerful anxious to git money so's-so's we c

s. They got what was comin' to 'em, and I didn't calculate to do nothin'. But you! By crimminy!... Wa-al, Grandmother, you go off home and knit. I'll look into things. It's on your account, and not on theirs." He shook his head fiercely

k to him, but, nevertheless, he carried in his pocket a list of the town's investors in mining

n, that a Mr. Bowman of Boston was occupying room 106. Mr. Bowman had signed the hotel register in Coldriver as Mr. Baxter, also of Boston. Scattergo

in company with a young man of prepossessing appearance, and clothing which did not strike the beholder as either too gaudy or too styli

a moment to his companion, who nodded. They approach

Mr. Bowman's a broker. Been buyin' some stocks off'n him-or calcula

at the young man. "Set," he

red finally to the subject of investments. Mr. Bowman, backed in his statements by Mr. Bangs, spoke to Scattergood of a certain mine whose stock could be had for a song, but

while finding more than ordinary difficulty in convincing this fat country

m a-goin' into it hair, hide, and hoofs. Figger me f'r not less 'n five thou

tive, Mr. Baines

middle-aged man with a drooping mustache approached. "How

the local office. 'Tain't all pleasure, n

Stand to lose my job," said John, sad

doin', eh? What

ught to speak about it, 'cause the comp'ny's bein' awful secret.

d of Mr. Bowman, Joh

and dollars. I know, 'cause that's the comp'ny's liability wrote

he

. Detectives and all can't run on to no clue. Might as well 'a' melte

't keerless, and don't figger you was. Guess

n. "G' night, Mr. Baines. I

he subject back at o

that sum comin' due tomorrer. You and me'll drive over to git it, and you fetch th

s, like your express agent spoke of. I don't mind telling you that I h

iness. Now, then, if you want to drive over six mile with m

start. Can I take a train from th

t gold, now wa'n't it? Three bars. Wuth fifty thousand! Might

man, "have produced some remarkable

the mornin'," re

In addition to his small bag Mr. Bowman brought a large suitcase containing his apparel, so it was apparent he was leaving the county seat for good. The mornin

horse, and they alighted and knocked. There was no reply. Scattergood pushed open the door and then stepped back suddenly, for wit

attergood, followed by Mr. Bowman, entered. On a table o

the wall. "You would come rammin' in," said the gentlem

y. "Vallyble loaves of bre

d the man,

nes around he

at there gold come from a

rgood, mildly. "Now don't git het up. 'Tain't none of my busin

n one of the men, but his companion d

llers here and here they stay till we git clea

nt'rested," sa

ss. Went into the office. Agent wa'n't there. Safe was. Open. Ya-as, wide open. We seen three gold chunks inside, and nobody around watchin'. Looked full better 'n ferns,

ou'll find it mighty

eed to w

for a fair price, cash, a

's ou

"there's money in this if

'lar a-tall.

e of it-through channels I am acquainted with. You can put in the money we

aybe, eh? Figger that? Gimme t

, in

s dic

take to walk away a

y tho

e you ten-and you're cl

ousand dollars was agreed upon. Mr. Bowman was to pay over the money, and Scattergood was t

rs disappeared with alacrity, leaving Sc

ggy, covered with ferns," said

" said Scattergood, b

how much mining stock he could purchase with the money received, and of ample wealth from the transaction. Mr. Bowman smiled with the faint, quiet

rods and uncovered the treasur

e," he said, and opened his jackknife. With it he

look to me to be the same color all the way

and uttered language in a loud voice. He snatched

ely. "Nothing but lead

t hain't go

ad, I te

ey. Gosh! I'm glad I didn't have none along." His eyes were mirthless

ow ebb. He did manage to hint that Scattergood should stand his share of the loss, but in his heart he knew that

ortunate. You still can buy

ain't safe to buy mine stock till you know there's a mine. Calc'late I'll do a mite of investigatin' 'fore I pungle over that five thous

stubborn. Presently he drove away, leaving Mr. Bowman on the veranda of the hotel

He went directly to his store, which had been left in charge of Mr. Spackles. Three men were waiting there

he said. "Do as much f'

kin you fetch Grandmother

Spackles, and he proved hi

er dum fools in town. Best I could do f'r them others was to git their money back-every cent of it. But I took keer to do a mite more f'r you and Mr. Spackles. I got you

? Ten t

bjects you kin tell 'em to go to blazes.... You'll want a place to live. Wa-al, I got twenty acre back of town and a lee

er Penny

There hain't no reason f'r it. 'Tain't believ

ther Penny. Jest mog along and marry this old

quisitive in additi

," he demanded, "is

pect nobody of swindlin' him with one of his own tricks. This here Mr. Baxter, or Mr. Bowman, or whatever his name is, used to make a livin' se

randmother Penny, "I'

o his weather-beaten face. He smiled, but as if he were smiling at somebody not present. When they had gone

om where you be, I hope you hain't missin' that I done this f'r yo