'No, sir,—the whole of my legacy would not cover _that_. And I would rather not invest more than twenty thousand at first.' 'Twenty thousand' has a pleasant sound to a man with 'mad' daughters, and other expenses! Nevertheless the governor looked steadily into the face of facts. 'My dear Miss Kennedy, I must remark to you, that if you do not want to put mills on that ground, it would be a very poor investment for your twenty thousand. The water power is all the value there. And Paul Charteris has been trying to get it of me for his own purposes. Now I know what _he_ wants; but I do not see what you want with land in Mill Hollow.' 'Why Governor Powder,' said Hazel, 'Mr. Falkirk would go to sleep in luxury, if he could only see _why_ I want things! One might as well be a man—or Mr. Paul Charteris—at once!' 'Isn't Paul Charteris a man?' inquired Gov. Powder laughing. Hazel laughed too, but returned to the charge. 'I shall not invest in him,' she said, 'even so much as an opinion. What I want is the land, and the water power, and the fun.' Gov. Powder stepped back and took a survey of the little lady. 'You mustn't break your teeth with a bonbon,' said he. 'Suppose you let me speak to my friend Mr. Falkirk about it?' 'No indeed, sir! Mr. Falkirk never approves of anything he does not suggest himself. All great men have their weak points, Gov. Powder,' said Wych Hazel. 'Well, let us say Rollo then. I think he is a wild man with his own fortune; but I reckon he would look out for yours. By the way! he may want the land for himself? eh?' 'Of course he may,' said Wych Hazel, 'but not half so much as I do. To consult him, would be saying no to me, Gov. Powder. And you know you are going to say yes.' 'I don't understand doing business with ladies!' said the poor governor, shaking his head. 'I can get along with my own sort. Miss Kennedy, there are certain complications, which I cannot explain to you. Paul Charteris has been at me to get those very acres that you want. What would he say, if I threw him over and sold them to you? I guess you must let me settle with him first.' 'Tell him you sold the land to somebody who offered more,' said Hazel. 'That is easy enough. How much would he give, sir?' 'Ah but, the thing is, there are complications,—there are complications,' repeated the governor. 'Give? He don't want to give above the half of your twenty thousand; and I couldn't in conscience take the whole. The land is not worth so much as that, Miss Kennedy. But young ladies don't understand complications,' he added with a smile. 'I can't just throw Paul over, without a word.' 'Push him off,' said Hazel. 'Nobody can teach me anything about complications!—Push him off, sir. Just give him a negative and do not say why.' 'What do you want it for?' 'Just now,' said Hazel, 'I want to get ahead of Mr. Charteris.'