Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/43

27 build a summer home here, and an elegant place it is to be ; he has actually shown me the  plans. It seems he has set his heart on buying the mill-creek property from the Captain, but, dear, dear, what an obstinate creature the  old fellow is! We have offered him a good price and of course he is only holding out for  more money; but he has tried my patience almost to its end. I am wondering if he has a clear title to all these acres he owns. You never heard your father say anything to that  effect, did you, my dear?”

He bent forward and his hard little eyes fairly glittered as he put the question. Sally, however, as a source of information, was quite  as disappointing as Captain Saulsby.

“Harvey Jarreth,” she announced firmly, “you are always going round asking questions  about other people’s business, but I, for one,  won’t answer them. And my father won’t either, and besides, he’s not at home.”

“Very well,” returned Jarreth cheerfully, “very well.”

It was evidently no new thing to him to receive replies as tart as Sally’s. He turned on his heel and marched away down the lane be-