The Major [22]
a fair opening to his son, who was already weary of school and anxious to engage in business for himself.
"Guess I'll take a whirl out of the old boy," he said to himself. "He's a durn fool anyway and if I don't get his money some one else will."
In the afternoon he made his way to the store. "Boss ain't in?" he inquired of the clerk.
"No, he's at the house, I guess."
"Back soon?"
"Don't know. Guess he's busy over there."
"Seen Mr. Martin around?"
"Yes, he was here a while ago. Said he would be in again later."
Mr. Sleighter greatly disliked the idea of doing business with Mr. Gwynne at his own house. "Can't do no business with his missis and kids around," he said to himself. "Can't get no action with that woman lookin' on seemingly. But that there old Martin geyser is on the job and he might close things up. I guess I will wander over."
To his great relief he found Mr. Gwynne alone and without preliminaries, and with the design of getting "quick action" before the disturbing element of Mrs. Gwynne's presence should be introduced, he made his offer. He explained his purpose in purchasing, and with something of a flourish offered five thousand for "the hull plant, lock, stock and barrel," cash down if specially desired, but he would prefer to pay half in six months. He must have his answer immediately; was not anxious to buy, but if Mr. Gwynne wanted to close up, he only had to say so. He was not going to monkey with the thing.
"You have made me a much better offer than the one I received from Mr. Martin, and I am inclined to accept it, but inasmuch as I have promised to give him an answer to-day, I feel that it's due to him that I should meet him with the bargain still unclosed."
"Why?" enquired Mr. Sleighter in surprise.
"Well, you see I asked him to hold the offer open until this afternoon. I feel I ought to go to him with the matter still open."
"Want to screw him up, eh?" said Mr. Sleighter, his lips drawing close together.
"No, sir." Mr. Gwynne's voice had a little ring in it. "I consider it fairer to Mr. Martin."
"Don't see as how he has much claim on you," replied Mr. Sleighter. "But that's your own business. Say, there he comes now. Look here, my offer is open until six o'clock. After that it's a new deal. Take it or leave it. I will be at your store."
"Very well," said Mr. Gwynne stiffly.
Mr. Sleighter was distinctly annoyed and disappointed. A few minutes' longer pressure, he was convinced, would have practically closed a deal which would have netted him a considerable profit. "Durn old fool," he muttered to himself as he passed out of the room.
In the hallway Mrs. Gwynne's kindly welcome halted him. She greeted him as she would a friend. Would he not sit down for a few moments. No, he was busy. Mr. Sleighter was quite determined to get away from her presence.
"The children were delighted with your description of your western home," she said. "The free life, the beautiful hills, the mountains in the distance--it must indeed be a lovely country."
Mr. Sleighter was taken off his guard. "Yes, ma'am, that's lovely country all right. They'd like it fine out there, and healthy too. It would make a man of that little kid of yours. He looks a little on the weak side to me. A few months in the open and you wouldn't know him. The girls too--"
"Come in here and sit down, won't you, Mr. Sleighter?" said Mrs. Gwynne.
Mr. Sleighter reluctantly passed into the room and sat down. He knew he was taking a risk. However, his offer was already made and the deal he believed would be closed in the store by six o'clock.
"I suppose the land is all taken up out there?" said Mrs. Gwynne.
"Oh, yes, mostly, unless away back. Folks are comin' in all the time, but there's still lots of cheap land around."
"Cheap land, is there?" inquired Mrs. Gwynne with a certain eagerness in her voice. "Indeed I should have thought that that beautiful land would be very dear."
"Why, bless your heart, no. I know good land going for six--seven-- eight--ten
"Guess I'll take a whirl out of the old boy," he said to himself. "He's a durn fool anyway and if I don't get his money some one else will."
In the afternoon he made his way to the store. "Boss ain't in?" he inquired of the clerk.
"No, he's at the house, I guess."
"Back soon?"
"Don't know. Guess he's busy over there."
"Seen Mr. Martin around?"
"Yes, he was here a while ago. Said he would be in again later."
Mr. Sleighter greatly disliked the idea of doing business with Mr. Gwynne at his own house. "Can't do no business with his missis and kids around," he said to himself. "Can't get no action with that woman lookin' on seemingly. But that there old Martin geyser is on the job and he might close things up. I guess I will wander over."
To his great relief he found Mr. Gwynne alone and without preliminaries, and with the design of getting "quick action" before the disturbing element of Mrs. Gwynne's presence should be introduced, he made his offer. He explained his purpose in purchasing, and with something of a flourish offered five thousand for "the hull plant, lock, stock and barrel," cash down if specially desired, but he would prefer to pay half in six months. He must have his answer immediately; was not anxious to buy, but if Mr. Gwynne wanted to close up, he only had to say so. He was not going to monkey with the thing.
"You have made me a much better offer than the one I received from Mr. Martin, and I am inclined to accept it, but inasmuch as I have promised to give him an answer to-day, I feel that it's due to him that I should meet him with the bargain still unclosed."
"Why?" enquired Mr. Sleighter in surprise.
"Well, you see I asked him to hold the offer open until this afternoon. I feel I ought to go to him with the matter still open."
"Want to screw him up, eh?" said Mr. Sleighter, his lips drawing close together.
"No, sir." Mr. Gwynne's voice had a little ring in it. "I consider it fairer to Mr. Martin."
"Don't see as how he has much claim on you," replied Mr. Sleighter. "But that's your own business. Say, there he comes now. Look here, my offer is open until six o'clock. After that it's a new deal. Take it or leave it. I will be at your store."
"Very well," said Mr. Gwynne stiffly.
Mr. Sleighter was distinctly annoyed and disappointed. A few minutes' longer pressure, he was convinced, would have practically closed a deal which would have netted him a considerable profit. "Durn old fool," he muttered to himself as he passed out of the room.
In the hallway Mrs. Gwynne's kindly welcome halted him. She greeted him as she would a friend. Would he not sit down for a few moments. No, he was busy. Mr. Sleighter was quite determined to get away from her presence.
"The children were delighted with your description of your western home," she said. "The free life, the beautiful hills, the mountains in the distance--it must indeed be a lovely country."
Mr. Sleighter was taken off his guard. "Yes, ma'am, that's lovely country all right. They'd like it fine out there, and healthy too. It would make a man of that little kid of yours. He looks a little on the weak side to me. A few months in the open and you wouldn't know him. The girls too--"
"Come in here and sit down, won't you, Mr. Sleighter?" said Mrs. Gwynne.
Mr. Sleighter reluctantly passed into the room and sat down. He knew he was taking a risk. However, his offer was already made and the deal he believed would be closed in the store by six o'clock.
"I suppose the land is all taken up out there?" said Mrs. Gwynne.
"Oh, yes, mostly, unless away back. Folks are comin' in all the time, but there's still lots of cheap land around."
"Cheap land, is there?" inquired Mrs. Gwynne with a certain eagerness in her voice. "Indeed I should have thought that that beautiful land would be very dear."
"Why, bless your heart, no. I know good land going for six--seven-- eight--ten