The Winslow mail., 1914-04-11

OF level land; and to the west, an
equal area which, however, was one
third marsh. AS young Smith stepped
into view around the turn of the road,
workmen were removing the "for sale
or lease" sign from the better tract,
and Napoleon stopped to look upon
this operation with trace of annoy
ance.
Quick work" he said. Then he ap-
preached the workmen. who's bought
this placer" he asked.
II couldn't tell you, sir" said the
older man of the crew. Mr. PAM
told US to move the sign over to
Greeneck."
PAM was the real estate agent
whose name. was on the board, and
with a sigh Napoleon saw he had been
correct in his surmise; that the cap
tain had taken extraordinarily prompt
action.
"A FOOLS errand," he told himself
He hurried back to the station, where
there was public phone, and called
up PanZ's Office.
II understand you have a tract of
land for sale at Hammondville," he
observed.
81 couldn't tell you about that"
said the clerk at the other end.
who's this speaking?"
Smith, of Forsythe and Spencer's
office"
"Oh! I'll find out about it right
away, Mr.. Smith Then a moment
later: 1--WE no longer have control
of that tract 1t was sold yesterday"
"To whom?"
"To the Consolidated Hame-ring
Manufacturing company, which we
understand intends to erect an ex-
tensive plant there"
Good" said Smith. Thank you,"
and he rang off.
"Who owns that piece of property
to the west of the Eureka iron mills 2"
he asked the station agent
Mrs. McGundy," said the lantern
jawed station agent, scraping his
finger nail tenderly over his nose
"She lives in that sky-blue house just
to the end of the frpg pond"
Napoleon hurried away to the little
blue house, where he found Mrs. Nc
Gundy to be a globular person cut
into two hemispheres by an apron
string.
Mrs. McGundy," queried Napoleon,
"do you wish to sell your land over
here?"
Show me the man that will buy
If 21 cai6 curoIu could no rt
with it without breaking my heart.
Twenty years ago, when Jim bought
it for a song, it was supposed that if
we held on to it for 20 years it would
be worth all the money in the mint,
but in all that time never have l seen
the man that would ever be wanting
that land, unless it would be Captain
Hammond. But he don't want it.
Twice l have gone myself to sell it
to him, and twice he gave me to un-
derstand that if he bought any land it
would be the other piece. You're not
representing Captain Hammond?"
NO" said Napoleon brisky. What
will you take for the land?"
Well there's 20 acres, and it's
worth, Jim always said, 200 dollars an
acre. That's $4,000. Give me that
and I'll take the next steamer for
Dublin
Il can't give you the four thousand
cash." said Smith, "but I'll give you
one thousand cash, and mortgage
note on the balance, payable in 60
days. You can wait the two months
for the collection of that note, or you
can probably discount it."
Let me understand that" said Mrs.
McGundy.
He carefully explained to her about
the mortgage note, and with each
period she nodded her round gray
head emphatically.
"It sounds WELL" she said, "and
you seem like an honest boy. But
before say aye, yes, or no, I'll go in
and see Mr.. McShane Of McShane and
McShane. Do you know Mr.. Nc
Shane?"
Mr.. Smith was unfortunate enough
never to have had that pleasure, and
he expressed himself contritely about
it.
What time does the next train
go?" he wanted to know Can you
come to town with me right now?"
Mrs. McGundy looked him over
carefully, and glanced at the clock.
Lord love you, boy!" she said.
What ragin', tearin' hurry you're
in! Oh, well, it's been many a long
day since l took a jaunting with
handsome-looking young fellow like
yourself, and 1 think I'll treat myself
to it just this once. There's a train
goes in about 20 minutes. Do you go
down to the station and wait, and in
due time I'll come along with my best
bib and tucker on"
Napoleon lost no time in getting
down to the station, and lost no time,
furthermore, in calling Captain Ham
mond by phone.
This is young Smith, Captain Ham
mond," said he. Il want to borrow a
thousand dollars"
ooh Won do 2" manfred the caDtain