It was about ten o'clock, when Mr. Ranquist, accompanied by Mr. Dudley and a lawyer, appeared at the farmhouse. They were led into the parlor, a table was cleared, and Mr. Vanter, Mr. Kimball, and Squire Bimmer drew up close to it. Mr. Ranquist glared at Mr. Vanter, and smiled in an easy sort of fashion, as though he already had the property in his possession. He slowly drew from his valise a bundle of bank-bills. "There's fifteen hundred dollars in that package," he said, addressing no one in particular. "I suppose everything is in readiness," said Mr. Dudley to his lawyer. "Here is the agreement Mr. Kimball has signed. All that is necessary now is for him to put his name on the deed." "'N' I'm ready to do thet," spoke up the farmer. Roger and Adrian, who had entered the room, wondered at his easy compliance. They had expected him to refuse, and looked to see Mr. Ranquist compel him, by means of the agreement. Pens and ink were ready, and, in a few seconds Mr. Kimball had affixed his signature to the deed, by the terms of which he conveyed a certain tract of land, described very carefully, to the Universal Salt Company, to have and to hold, and so on, with a lot of legal terms. "Now," remarked the lawyer for the two engineers, when he had blotted Mr. Kimball's name, "as soon as Mrs. Kimball has signed you will get the fifteen hundred dollars." "Oh, yes, ye want Mrs. Kimball now," said her husband, smiling a bit, and not at all like a man who has been cheated into selling a valuable salt mine for a small sum. "Oh, yes, Mrs. Kimball. Wait; I'll call her. Here, mother," he said, going to the door, "come in. We need ye fer a minute." Mrs. Kimball entered as her husband went out. She was a little excited over the part she was to play. "Sign right there, please," said the lawyer, pointing to the space below Mr. Kimball's name, and seeing to it, as the law requires, that the husband was not present when the wife signed the deed. Mrs. Kimball did not seem to understand. She made no motion to pick up the pen. The lawyer waited expectantly, and then said: "Just sign your name, will you, please?" "No, sir," replied Mrs. Kimball, firmly, "I won't sign. I've made up my mind not to put my name to this deed, 'n' I ain't agoin' to." "What?" exclaimed the lawyer. "What?" cried Mr. Ranquist. "What?" almost shouted Mr. Dudley. Then all three said, "What!" in a chorus. "No, sir!" repeated Mrs. Kimball, "I'm not agoin' t' sign, 'n' thet's th' end on 't," and she shut her lips firmly. "Why this is ridiculous. I never heard of such a thing," began the lawyer. "Why, my dear Mrs. Kimball, your husband can't convey this property unless you sign the deed also. That is the law. Husband and wife must both sign the deed. This puts us in a pretty predicament!" "I thought it would," said Mr. Vanter, softly; and at the words, Mr. Ranquist turned angrily toward him. "Oh, so you've been meddling," the engineer remarked, with a sneer.