第85章

"It is very late," he said."Mr.Colton is not in the 'abit of receiving callers at this time of night and--"He was interrupted.The door behind him, the door leading from the library to the hall, opened and Colton himself appeared.

"What is it, Johnson?" he asked."Anything wrong?"The butler hastened to explain.

"No sir," he said; "nothing wrong exactly, sir.There is a person 'ere to see you, sir, and--""To see me, eh? Who is it? Why, hello, Paine! is that you?""Mr.Colton," said I, "I am sorry to disturb you at such a late hour, but--""Come in, come in," he interrupted."What are you standing out there for? Johnson, why didn't you ask Mr.Paine in? What do you mean by keeping him out there?"Mr.Johnson looked troubled.

"It was so late, sir," he stammered, "I thought--""You thought! If I had wanted any one to think I never should have hired you.Come in, Paine.Come into the library."He led the way to the library and I followed him.It was my second visit to the big, handsomely furnished room and again, as on the first occasion, the sight of the books and all the other refinements and luxuries which money brings to its possessor gave me a pang of envy and resentment.It added increased bitterness to the humiliation of my errand.I had left that room defiantly expressing my independence.I had come back to it--""Sit down," ordered Colton, pulling forward the big, leather-covered chair."Have a cigar?"

"No thank you."

"Humph! That's what you said when you were here before.You're young, Paine.When you get to be as old as I am you'll never refuse a good cigar, or anything else that is good, when it is offered you.Well, you're still standing.Aren't going to refuse to sit down, are you?"That was exactly what I was going to do.I would not sit down in that house.I would not accept the slightest courtesy from this man or any of his people.I would get rid of the unpleasant task Ihad come to do and then go away, never to return.They might make the most of the triumph which was to be theirs, but I would compel them to understand that I was not seeking their favor.I would not accept their patronage and they should know it.This, as I look back at it now, seems silly and childish enough, but I was not myself that night.

"Mr.Colton," said I, ignoring the proffered chair, "I have come to see you on a matter of business.""Business, eh? Umph! I thought probably you were going to ask me to go fishing with you again.I'm all ready for another tussle with those--what do you call 'em--squid--squit--good Lord! what a name for a decent fish! But I don't care a continental what you call 'em.I'm ready to get at 'em when you say the word.""My business will not detain either of us long.I--""Sit down, man, sit down.You make me nervous standing there.""No.I won't sit."

He looked at me.

"What is the matter with you?" he asked."You haven't got a balky digestion, have you? I've been fighting one for the last week.

That fool of a country doctor tells me if I'm not careful what Ieat I'll keel over pretty soon.I told him I'd eaten what I dashed please ever since I'd had teeth and I wasn't going to quit now.

But I do feel like the devil.Look it, don't I?"He did look ill, that was a fact, though I had not noticed it before and was far from feeling pity for him then.In fact I was rather glad to know that he was uncomfortable.I wanted him to be.

"What is the matter with you?" he demanded."You look as if you had seen your grandmother's ghost."I ignored the question."Mr.Colton," I began again."You made an offer not long ago."I had caught his attention at last.He leaned back in his chair.

"I did," he said."Ye-es, I did.Do you mean you are going to accept it?""In a way--yes."

"In a way? What do you mean by that? I tell you frankly, Paine, if you go to work for me there must be no 'ifs' or 'buts' about it.

You'll enter my office and you'll do as I, or the men under me, tell you to do."I was glad he said that, glad that he misunderstood me.It gave me an opportunity to express my feelings toward him--as I was feeling then.

"Don't let that trouble you," I said, sarcastically."There will be no 'ifs' and 'buts' so far as that is concerned.I have no desire to work for you, Mr.Colton, and I don't intend doing so.

That was not the offer I meant."

He was surprised, I am sure, but he did not express astonishment.

He bent forward and looked at me more keenly than ever.

"There was only one other offer that I remember making you," he said, slowly."That was for that land of yours.I offered you five thousand dollars for it.Do you mean you accept that offer?""Not exactly."

"Humph! Paine, we're wasting a lot of time here, it seems to me.

My time is more or less valuable, and my digestion is, as I told you, pretty bad.Come! get it over.What do you mean? Are you going to sell me that land?""Yes."

He puffed deliberately at his cigar.His gaze did not leave my face.

"Why?" he asked, after a moment.

"That is my own affair.I will sell you the land, but not for five thousand dollars."His expression changed.He knocked the ashes from his cigar and frowned.

"I see," he sneered."Humph! Well, I've tried to make it plain to you fellows down here that I couldn't be held up.I thought I'd done it, but evidently I haven't.Five hundred is a good price for that land.Five thousand is ridiculous, but I gave you my reasons for being willing to be robbed that much.That, however, is the limit.I'll give you five thousand, but not another cent.You can take it or get out."This was better.When he talked like that I could answer him and enjoy it.

"I'll get out very shortly," I said."You are no more anxious to have that happen than I am.I don't want your other cent.I don't want your five thousand dollars.I'll sell you the land on one condition--no, on two.The first is that you pay me thirty-five hundred dollars for it.""WHAT?"

I had upset his composure this time.He forgot to sneer; he even forgot to smoke.