Herbert Carter's Legacy; Or, the Inventor's Son
Page 10
CHAPTER X
SQUIRE LEECH IS BAFFLED
Tuesday arrived, but as yet the check from Mr. Spencer had not beenreceived.
“Never mind, mother,” said Herbert, “you will get it before the end ofthe week.”
“But I shall need it to pay the interest to Squire Leech. He will callfor it today.”
“How much it is?”
“Twenty-two dollars and a half.”
“You forget the gold I handed you last week.”
“I don’t like to use it, Herbert; I want you to use it for yourself.”
“I am as much interested in paying the interest as you, mother. Don’t Ioccupy the house?”
Seeing that Herbert was in earnest, Mrs. Carter overcame her scruples,and laid aside enough of the money to make up the amount required.
About five minutes of twelve Squire Leech was seen advancing to thefront door with slow, pompous steps.
“There he comes, mother!” said Herbert. “I’ll open the door.”
“Is your mother at home, Herbert?” asked the squire, in a dignifiedtone.
“Yes, sir. Won’t you walk in?”
“Ahem, yes! I think I will. I have a little matter of business withher.”
Squire Leech entered the small sitting room, which seemed uncomfortablyfull when he was in it--not on account of his size, but because heseemed so swollen with a sense of his own importance as to convey theidea that he was cramped for space--very much like an owl in the cage ofa canary.
“Good morning, Squire Leech,” said the widow.
“Good morning, ma’am. I apprehend you know my errand.”
“I suppose you come for the interest, Squire Leech.”
“You are quite right. Of course you are prepared to pay it.”
Though the squire said “of course,” he by no means expected that itwould be ready, nor, for reasons which we know, did he desire it. He wasrather discomfited, therefore, when Mrs. Carter said: “Did you bring areceipt with you, squire?”
“A receipt in full?” queried the great man.
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you prepared to pay the whole today?”
“Yes, sir.”
This ought to have been gratifying intelligence, but it was not. Thesquire looked quite crestfallen.
“No, I didn’t bring a receipt,” he said, slowly.
“I’ll bring writing materials,” said Herbert, promptly.
He left the room, but appeared almost instantly with pen, ink, andpaper.
The squire sat down to the table with a disappointed air, and slowlywrote the required document.
“He seems sorry to receive the money,” thought Herbert, who was quick inreading the faces of others. “I wonder why?” and he gazed at the visitorin some perplexity.
The squire received the money, and handed the widow the receipt. Stillhe did not seem inclined to go. He was thinking how to broach thesubject of selling the house.
“Mrs. Carter,” he began, “forty-five dollars a year seems a good dealfor you to pay.”
“Yes, it is considerable,” said the widow, surprised. Could it be thathe intended to reduce the interest? That did not seem like him.
“For one in your circumstances I mean, of course. You’ve got to earnyour own living, and your son’s.”
“Herbert does his share,” said the mother. “When he is older I shallfeel quite easy.”
“But that time is a good way off. I’ve been thinking of your case,Mrs. Carter, and as a man of business I see my way clear to offer you alittle advice.”
“I shall be thankful for any advice, squire,” said the widow, meekly.“Of course your judgment in business matters is much better than mine.”
Herbert listened to this conversation with eager interest. What couldthe squire mean to advise?
“I’ve been thinking,” said the squire, deliberately, “that it would be agood plan for you to sell this house.”
“To sell it!” repeated Mrs. Carter, in surprise. “But where could Ilive?”
“You might hire a couple of rooms for yourself and Herbert.”
“I don’t see how mother would gain anything,” interrupted Herbert. “Shewould have to pay rent.”
“Very true, but she would get some money down for the house, over andabove the mortgage.”
“I don’t know as anybody would want to buy it,” said Mrs. Carter.
“I would take it off your hands, simply to oblige you,” said the squire,with an air of extraordinary consideration. “I don’t know that it wouldbe of any particular use to me. I might not get a tenant. Still, I ambetter able to take the risk than you are to keep it.”
“How much would you be willing to pay for it?” asked Herbert, whosomehow suspected that the squire was more selfish than benevolent inthe plan he had broached.
“Why,” said Squire Leech, assuming a meditative look, “over and abovethe mortgage, I would be willing to pay three hundred dollars cash.”
“That would make the value of the place only ten hundred and fiftydollars,” said Herbert.
“Well, you don’t consider it worth any more than that do you?”
“My husband considered it worth fifteen hundred dollars,” said thewidow. “It cost him that.”
The squire laughed heartily. “Really, my dear madam, that is utterlypreposterous. Fifteen hundred dollars! Why, that is ridiculous.”
“It cost that,” said Herbert, sturdily.
“I very much doubt it,” said the squire. “I don’t believe it cost a centover twelve hundred dollars.”
“I have my husband’s papers to show that it cost fifteen hundred,” saidthe widow.
“Then all I have to say is, he was outrageously cheated,” said thesquire. “I believe I know as much about real estate as any man in town,” he proceeded, pompously. “Indeed, I own more than any other man. Iassure you, on my word, I have offered you a very good price.”
“I would rather not sell,” said the widow, gently, but decidedly.
“I will increase my offer to eleven hundred, including the mortgage,” said the squire, who saw the prize slipping through his fingers, andfelt it necessary to bid higher. “Eleven hundred dollars. That’s threehundred and fifty dollars cash!”
“Mother, I am sure you won’t think of selling for any such sum,” expostulated Herbert.
“No,” said his mother, “I don’t want to sell.”
“You stand very much in your own light, ma’am,” said the squire,impatiently; “and you, Herbert, are too young to offer any advice onsuch a subject.”
“I don’t see why,” said Herbert, independently. “I ought to feelinterested in such a matter.
“You are a boy, and have no judgment. Boys of your age should be seenand not heard,” said the squire, sternly.
“I can see what is best for my mother’s interest,” said Herbert.
“I decline to discuss the matter with you. I consider your interferenceimpertinent,” said the squire, becoming angry.
“Oh, Herbert!” said his mother, who was a little in awe of the great manof the village, “be respectful to Squire Leech.”
“I mean to be,” said Herbert, “but I’m sure he’s wrong in thinking Ihave nothing to do with this matter.”
“Reflect again, Mrs. Carter,” persisted the squire, “of the advantagesof my proposal. Think how comfortable you would feel in knowing that youhad three hundred and fifty dollars on interest in the savings bank.I admit that I may not offer you quite as much as the place cost, buthouses never fetch their first cost. I’ve made you a very fair offer,ma’am, very fair.”
“I won’t say anything as to that, Squire Leech, but this house my poorhusband built--in this house I have passed many happy years--and whilewe can keep it, Herbert and I, we will. There is no other place in townthat would seem so much like home.”
“This is all very sentimental, ma’am; but, permit me to say, veryridiculous,” said the impatient squire, rising to go. “I’ll give youtime t
o think over what I have said, and I’ll call again.”
“I’ll have that place yet,” he muttered to himself, as he left thecottage. “I won’t be balked by an obstinate woman and an impertinentboy.”