Page:Betty Gordon in the Land of Oil.djvu/213

Rh Dick offered a lot of money, didn't you, Bob? How many acres are there?"

"Ninety," announced Bob briefly. "What's that? The door opened, so they must be through. No, it's only Aunt Charity."

But such a transformed Miss Charity! Her gentle dark eyes were shining, her cheeks were faintly pink, and she smiled at Betty and Bob as though something wonderful had happened.

"I came out to tell you," she said mysteriously, sitting down on the top step between them and putting an arm around each. "The farm is sold, my darlings. Can you guess for how much?"

"More than twenty thousand?" asked Betty. "Oh—twenty-five?"

"Thirty?" hazarded Bob, seeing that Betty had not guessed it.

Miss Charity laughed excitedly and hugged them with all her frail strength.

"Mr. Vernet is going to pay us ninety thousand dollars!"