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Updated: May 25, 2025
They sat down on the veranda, under the wooden awning, and Scattergood's specially reinforced chair creaked under his great weight as he stooped to remove his shoes. For a moment he wriggled his toes, just as a golfer waggles his driver preparatory to the stroke. "Um!..." he said. "Castle," said he, presently, "works for jest two objects makin' money and payin' off grudges.
The conventions nor the tongue of gossip was non-existent to Scattergood Baines, and Yvette, not reared in a school where trust in men is easily learned, was shrewd enough to recognize Scattergood's purpose and her own safety. "I s'pose you're the local Mr. Fix-it," she said, with sarcasm.
Amanda blushed, for the proffer of a buggy ride was not without definite significance in that region. "I'll git my shawl and bonnet," she said. To the casual eye it would have appeared that Scattergood's summer was devoted wholly to running his hardware store and to paying court to Mandy Randle.... But this would not have been so.
Even when Pettybone's leg was mashed by a log, and he lay between life and death, there was no hint of a reconciliation; and when Pettybone appeared again on Coldriver's streets, hobbling on a peg leg of his own fashioning, the fires of vindictiveness burned higher and hotter than ever. The situation would have been hopeless to anybody not possessed of Scattergood's optimism and resource.
Hammond was the railroad's general counsel. He appeared presently. "I thought we had the legislature up yonder tamed," he said, angrily, as he entered the office. "We have." "Huh!... Take a look at this." He handed to the president Scattergood's novel taxation, measure. "What you make of that? Who's behind it? What's the game?" Castle read it carefully; then he turned to Crane.
It came about that more politics than hardware was discussed on Scattergood's piazza, but to the casual listener it seemed only purposeless discussion. But Scattergood was a master of purposeless discussion. His methods were his own and worthy of notice. Marvin Towne and Old Man Bogle sauntered past and paused to mention the weather. "Goin' to be lots of politics this year," said Scattergood.
McKettrick peered at Scattergood with awakened interest. His scrutiny told him nothing. "What backing have you?" "My own." McKettrick almost sneered. "Been lookin' me up?" asked Scattergood. "No." "Let's step to the bank." McKettrick followed Scattergood's bulky figure-wondering. In the bank Scattergood presented the treasurer. "Mr. Noble, meet Mr. McKettrick.
In to see me about it last week." Crane and Keith! Scattergood's career in the valley had been one of warfare with Crane and Keith. He had beaten them with his dam and boom company; he had beaten them in certain stumpage operations. Now they were after his railroad and his valley. "Um!..." he said, and reached down mechanically to loosen his shoe. Here was need for careful thought.
But she refused to be driven out of the Poketown School by the unkindness and discourtesy of the larger girls. Her unpopularity, however, made her respond the more quickly to 'Rill Scattergood's advances. The school-teacher showed plainly that she appreciated Janice's friendliness. Janice brought her luncheon and ate it with the teacher.
"I carry the most reliable line of catridges in the state," said Scattergood. "Prices low.... I'll be waitin', Sheriff." In twenty minutes a dozen citizens of the vicinage gathered at Scattergood's store, each armed with his favorite weapon, rifle or double-barreled shotgun, and each wearing what he fancied to be the air of a dangerous and resolute citizen.
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