Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-02-06


cept the house and barn and fences.
That grove father planted might be
worth cutting down some day, but not
yet"
There was a man driving by yes
terday. who stopped and asked me
about those trees" said Dick, sud
denly. HE wanted to know how old
they were, and how many of them
There he is, driving in again. Look" =
A well-dressed man, in a light bug
gy, drove up the lane and hitched
his horse by the barn. He looked
round the farmyard, with its lack OF
prosperity, with considering eye,
and then came up to the shabby
house.
Gertrude and Dick met him hos
pitably on the doorstep.
THANK you, l haven't time" was
his brusque answer to their invita-
ton to come in. 81 see you have a
few elm trees out there that might be
worth transplanting. There are
great many round this part of the
country and l sometimes buy several
of them here and there, that look as
if they might live through transplant
ing. It's a lottery, for you never can
tell. until three years afterward,
whether a transplanted tree will live
or die. But at a low price | can take
the risk. I'm willing to give three or
four dollars apiece for good trees the
size of yours. If you're willing to
take my price, it's a bargain"
Gertrude's heart fairly Jumped.
''How many would you want?' she
asked.
"About fifteen or twenty, if you
have as many as that that are worth
taking. I'll go over and take look
at them" and off he started, with
Dick at his heels.
Gertrude's heart fell again. Four
dollars for twenty trees-to take the
highest rate and largest NUMBER
would .be only eighty dollars. That
was not enough. Then announcer
thought came into her mind, and as
she followed it out, her face grew de-
termined. She could look business
like when she chose. 1t was her busl-
ness look, we'll known of Dick, that
greeted the tree man when he came
back, brusquely satisfied with what
he had seen.
ETH send my men out some day
next week." he said. "The trees are
not as large as l should like, but
they'll pass muster at three dollars
apiece"
1--WE have not made any bargain,
said Gertrude, quietly.
The tree man looked at her. He
had only noticed her youth and Dicks
and the tumble down farm, and the
evident poverty of the place. Now he
noticed Gertrude's mouth, and be-
cause he was something of a physi-
ognomist, he change his tone.
81 make you. an offer of three dol
lars a tree for twenty trees, and l
will put it in writing if you wish.
represent the firm of Williams q
Prendergast' he took business
card out of his pocket and handed 1t
to her. ''My name is Sutton"
sI will consider the offer and write
to you within week, Mr.. Sutton,
said Gertrude, slowly.
The tree man looked at her now
harder than ever.
'I am not sure our offer will hold
week." he said, "as I am in treaty
for some other trees in the neighbor-
hood"
VERY we'll" said Gertrude, ct will
wait then. till you write to me in
stead"
Mr.. Sutton smiled uneasily. I'VE
can wait-er-till next Friday" he
said. Dick stared, and felt his con-
fidence in Gertrude returning. He
was not surprised when, after the
man drove away, she turned cneer-
full face upon him.
"Dick, those trees are worth some
thing!" she cried.
Three dollars apiece" responded
Dick. "But twenty times three"
''I did that sum while you took him
to the grove. 1t isn't enough. But,
Dick, the next thing I thought of was
that there aren't any other elm-trees
like those for a good many miles
round. Mr.. Sutton saw them yester-
day and asked you about them. Then
he drove onto look for others. He
had to come back-because he didn't
find any others And if he wants them
he will have to pay us five dollars
apiece at least. What 1 wanted,
Dick. was time to find out what trees
are worth. You hitch up Rex, and
we'll drive into the city"
Dicks eyes widened. "You're a
daisy!" was his brotherly comment
and he hurried old Rex into the mar
ness with boyish zeal.
The roads were rough, the wagon
springs old 1t was a jolted and shah
by pair of young people that drove
into the city two hours later, but hope
rode with them and made the way
easy.
/ a-l-