His friend finished the
sentence for him.
"And then," he said, "you, knowin' that I didn't want to let this
house any time to anybody, naturally sent her down to look at it."
"No such thing. Course I knew that you'd OUGHT to let the house
and, likin' the looks and ways of these Armstrong folks first rate,
I give in that I had made up my mind TO send her down to look at
it. But, afore I could do it, the Almighty sent her on His own
hook. Which proves," he added, with a grin, "that my judgment has
pretty good backin' sometimes."
Jed rubbed his chin. "Careful, Sam," he drawled, "careful. The
Kaiser'll be gettin' jealous of you if you don't look out. But
what," he inquired, "made her and the little girl move out of
Middleford, or wherever 'twas they lived? They could have found
cheaper quarters there, couldn't they? Course I ain't never been
there, but seems as if they could."
"Sartin they could, but the fact of their movin' is what makes me
pretty sure the widow's investments had turned sour. It's a
plaguey sight easier to begin to cut down and live economical in a
place where nobody knows you than 'tis in one where everybody has
known you for years. See that, don't you?"
Jed whistled sadly, breaking off in the middle of a bar to reply
that he didn't know as he did.
"I've never cut up, so cuttin' down don't worry me much," he
observed.
Pages:
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119