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was plain to see that the store-keeper who had thus thrust himself into the young auctioneer's business was not in high favor with the residents of the country town. To tell the truth, the man was not liked by any one, and was only patronized by force of circumstances or through long-standing habit. He was a thoroughly mean man, and the fact that his trade had been falling off steadily for several years had not tended to sweeten his temper.

"Thet's one on Ike Marvelling, sure!" laughed a young man near the auction stand.

"Yes, an' Ike deserves it," returned a woman beside him. "He has no right to come in here and abuse the boy."

"That's so, he ain't," added another woman.

"Ike was always high-priced in everything," remarked a jolly-faced farmer. "If he had Pickle Mountain to sell he would want double price for it."