The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 176: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

166 your paying the balance, and I would be tied up.” “Tf ye’ll say the word, an’ close the deal, Ah wull pay ye the cash richt awa’, for don’t Ah know the title is a’ richt. We can send the certificates an’ transfer doon tae Sydney, wi’ the dischairge mort- gage, an’ ye needna tell him aboot it till it is too late for him tae cause ye trou- ble.” It was the voice of the tempter, for in- deed the transfer of land in Australia is very safe and easy. “It may be giving up a fortune,” Jim muttered, and the eyes of Sandy McKech- nie sparkled. “Then we'll ca’ it a bargain at five thousand, an’ the money doon,” he sug- gested, craftily. “It’s raw, but I’ll make Bunny under- stand,” Jim murmured as if to himself. Sandy saw his boy coming and went out to intercept him and give him instruc- tions. He also saw the train stop, an unusual event for Yarran, which was a flag station. He went back into the house. James had a pair of glasses, which he leveled at the railway station, half.a mile away. _“Tt’s Bunny,” he announced excitedly. “Good Lord!” - “Ye hev only to sign here, Maister Cochrane, an’ ye can leave the rest tae me.” “The money,” gasped Jim, as he took the ready fountain-pen that Sandy ex- tended. “Here ye are, a’ guid notes o’ the Com- monwealth Bank. Ah got the bank here © tae hev them a’ ready, against ye con- sentin’ to sell,” explained Sandy, who had feared that his check would not be ac- cepted by one who had already been vic- timized by him. “A telegram for Mr. Cochrane. I for- got to give it to him,” said the sheepish nephew, entering the room. . These were part of his instructions. James gave an exclamation of astonish- ment, which Sandy affected not to hear. THE ARGOSY. “Mr. McKechnie, I want to say right here in your clerk’s presence that you have paid too much for this property, and if you're willing to tear up that transfer, I’ll give you back your money. You hear me, boy?” turning to the youth, who nodded. ‘“‘Ah think Ah’ve no reason tae be wor- ried,” quoth Sandy. ‘“‘Ah,-mon, ye canna tak’ an old fox in that gait. Ah’ll juist be keepin’ ma bargain, thankin’ ye kindly, a’ the same.” 3 “Tt is a bad bargain, and I’ve been won- dering what you intended doing with the place to make it worth all that to your syndicate, but I don’t want to take ad- vantage of any wrong ideas you may have. Will you cancel the sale even now? Mr. Harding is coming up the path.” “Noo, Ah will no concel ony sale. The place is mine, an’ Ah’m no complainin’,” roared Sandy, who knew well what in- spired this honest dealing, the telegram dangling still from Jim’s fingers. Bunny made his entrance at this mo- ment. “Howdy, people,” he exclaimed. right, Jim.” “Ves, Bunny, I’ve sold the farm.” “How much?” nonchalantly. “Twenty-five thousand dollars.”’ ‘Good business. Did you get my wire?” ‘Just this minute. I see it arrived at 1.30. I'll have to warm Lawson up.” “So you settled it.” “You betcha, pending your consent. Big price, but a beauty. We’ll coin money in the inter-island trade, now that there are so few boats available. Glad you sold here. Who’s the buyer?” “Here he stands. Mr. McKechnie. And he’s a trump. Oh, Bunny, we’ve got to take back everything we said against him. The price he charged us for this place was really low. It was us who didn’t know enough to manage it. McKechnie was explaining it to me. It appears that if you work it with big capital, and can afford to go after it in a big way, as he is going to do, the farm will coin money. He has a syndicate. ‘ “T thought he was too optimistic, for “All CORMICLOOOKS (C@)