“Wait a minute. Do you know she bought the whole fair?” “Yes, I do. You are blinding me with that lantern, Deacon Whittle.” “And she paid good money down. I seen it.” “All right. I’ve got to get past you.” “Wait a minute. Do you s’pose that young woman is all right?” “I don’t see why not. Nothing against the law of the land for her to buy out a church fair, that I know of.” “Don’t you think it looks sort of suspicious?” “It’s none of my business. I confess I don’t see why it’s suspicious, unless somebody wants to make her out a fool. I don’t understand what any sane person wants with all that truck; but I don’t pretend to understand women.” Whittle shook his head slowly. “I dunno,” he said. “Well, I don’t know who does, or cares either. They’ve got the money. I suppose that was what they were after.” Jim again tried to pass. “Wait just a minute. Say, Jim, I’m going to tell you something. Don’t you speak of it till it gets out.” “Fire away. I’m in a hurry.” “She wants to buy this old Bolton place here.” Jim whistled. “You know the assignees of the Bolton estate had to take the house, and it’s been running down all these years, and a lot of money has got to be spent on it or it’ll tumble down. Now, this young woman has offered to pay a good round sum for it, and take it just as it is. S’pose it’s all right?” “How in creation should I know? If I held it, and wanted to sell it, I’d know darn well whether it was all right or not. I wouldn’t go around asking other folks.” “But you see it don’t seem natural. Folks don’t do things like that. She’s offering to pay more than the place is worth. She’ll have to spend thousands on it to make it fit to live in. She says she’ll pay cash, too.” “Well, I suppose you’ll know cash when you see it. I’ve got to go.” “But cash! Lord A’mighty! We dunno what to do.” “I suppose you know whether you want to sell or not.” “Want to sell! If we didn’t want to sell this old shebang we’d be dumb idiots.” “Then, why in the name of common sense don’t you sell?” “Because, somehow it don’t look natural to me.” “Well, I must confess that to throw away much money on an old shell like that doesn’t look any too natural to me.” “Come now, Jim, that was a real nice house when it was built.” Jim laughed sarcastically. “Running up your wares now, are you?” “That house cost Andrew Bolton a pile of money. And now, if it’s fixed up, it’ll be the best house in Brookville.” “That isn’t saying much. See here, you’ve got to let me pass. If you want to sell—I should think you would—I don’t see what you are worrying about. I don’t suppose you are worrying for fear you may cheat the girl.”