"Some of the investments went bad," Gordon continued; "down in Stenton they said I didn't move 'em fast enough. Then the old man had a lot laid out in ways I don't hold with, with people I wouldn't collect from. And it's a fact a big amount's got out here lately. Of course it will come back, the most part." Simmons' expression grew skeptical. "I know you too," Gordon added; "you'll want the price in your hand." "I'm getting on," the storekeeper admitted; "I can't wait now." "I don't know if I can make it," Gordon repeated; "it'll strip me if I do." Valentine Simmons swung back to his desk. "At least," he observed, "keep this quiet till something's settled." Gordon agreed. XIII Even if he proved able to buy out Simmons, he thought walking home, it would be a delicate operation to return the timber rights to where he thought they belonged. He considered the possibility of making a gift of the options to the men from whom they had been wrongfully obtained. But something of Simmons' shrewd knowledge of the world, something of the priest's contemptuous arraignment of material values, lingering in Gordon's mind, convinced him of the potential folly of that course. It would be more practical to sell back the options to those from which they had been purchased at the nominal prices paid. He had only a vague idea of his balances at the Stenton banks, the possibilities of the investments from which he received profit. He was certain, however, that the sum asked by Valentine Simmons would obliterate his present resources. Yet he was forced to admit that it did not seem exorbitant. He continued his altruistic deliberations throughout the evening at his dwelling. It might be well, before investing such a paramount sum, to communicate with the Tennessee and Northern Company, receive a fresh ratification of their intention. Yet he could not do that without incurring the danger of premature questioning, investigation. It was patent that he would have to be prepared to make an immediate distribution of the options when his intention became known in Greenstream. He was aware that when the coming of a railroad to the County became common knowledge the excitement of the valley would grow intense.