Page:Betty Gordon in the Land of Oil.djvu/156

146 "I suppose in time they will sell," he observed carelessly. "The farm is sure to be bought up by some oil company."

Blosser and Fluss scowled darkly and looked at Bob with closer attention.

"I didn't know the old ladies had a nephew," said Fluss suspiciously. "Funny they didn't mention it when I was driving through here last spring, listing properties, eh?"

"I never knew my aunts to confide personal and private affairs to strangers," said Bob calmly.

Blosser turned on him angrily.

"You're fresh!" he snarled. "If you knew what was for your own good, you'd keep a civil tongue In your head. Come on—er—Elmer, we're wasting time with this kid. We'll come back and talk to the aunts."

Fluss still lingered. His gray eyes appraised Bob keenly and something in their steady, disconcerting stare made Betty uneasy.

"What's happened to the town?" demanded Fluss abruptly. "Couldn't find even the oldest Inhabitant hanging around the station. Everybody gone to a funeral?"

"There's a big oil fire," returned Bob. "Four or five wells have been burning a couple of days now, though they say they have it under control."

The word "oil" roused Blosser again.