Page:Jackson Gregory--joyous trouble maker.djvu/37

21 : You have lands along the upper waters of Thunder River?"

"Yes,"

"Near the place that is called Hell's Goblet?"

"Yes."

"At what figure do you hold those lands? They're mostly rock and big timber, aren't they?"

"They are not for sale." "The world's for sale!" he laughed carelessly. "If the price happens to be big enough. Would you take, say twenty dollars an acre for a section in there? That's big money, you know, for wild, rough land so far from anywhere."

"No. I wouldn't accept twenty dollars. Nor yet fifty. I'm not selling, Mr. Steele."

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"Because," she flared out, "I don't want to. And I fail to see the drift of your questions."

"That should be plain enough." Under this second signal of her hot displeasure he was as cheerful as though she were smiling upon him, "You told me to ask what questions I pleased and you would answer them. I have naturally taken advantage of a pleasant situation. From the point of the lands about Hell's Goblet I was going to another pertinent one."

"Let us have it," she said sharply.

"Are you engaged?" asked Steele. "Or even in love?" Never until now had she met a man like this one. Plainly, for one of those rare occasions in her life, she was uncertain of just what to do or say. Finally,