Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/278

266 body knows the Colonel is hard up and needs money. And that little strip next to town don't affect his ranch one way or another, now does it? I leave it to you."

Boyd made some answer and dropped the subject. That is, in conversation. He still retained the idea. It was by no means certain that he had done a wise thing in allowing Spinner to approach the old man. The Colonel was touchy. Boyd had not much patience with that type of highfalutin' touchiness; but he had met it in his experience, and he understood it and knew how to handle it. Spinner would not know how at all; indeed, he would probably blunder blithely ahead ignorant that he was trampling down anything. Perhaps he had rubbed the Colonel the wrong way. Or it might be that Spinner was correct, that the old man was shrewd enough to foresee the boom. Boyd gravely doubted this; but it was a possibility. In that case he might have to split the profits. Anyway, he'd better see Colonel Peyton himself.

As he drove up the Avenue of Palms his eye took in the evidence that all things were not as prosperous as they had been. It was with the greatest confidence that he opened the interview. Allie and Sing Toy were performing some mysterious cleaning rites in the house, so the Colonel and his guest sat on a settee beneath the great live oak trees. Colonel Peyton listened (in silence) to Boyd's proposal to buy a strip containing approximately two hundred acres next the town limits.

"Mr. Spinner approached me with a similar proposal some days back," said he. "I told him I was not interested." Boyd laughed.

"That was my mistake, Colonel. I sent him. I thought you might prefer to deal through an agent. Spinner is able and enthusiastic, but I can well imagine he might get off on the wrong foot. I can assure you he really meant nothing by whatever he said or did that offended you."

"But he did not offend me," cried the Colonel.

"But he says you wouldn't listen to any further proposition on his part."

"No. I told him I did not wish to sell at any price; so naturally it was useless for him to proceed."