"What was he worth, anyway?" he shouted.
"Oh, millions and millions," said Kate, sweetly, "at least I THINK
so. It was scarcely a time to discuss finances, in the face of
that horrible accident."
George laughed. "Oh, you're a good one!" he cried. "Think you
can keep a thing like that still? The cats, and the dogs, and the
chickens of the whole county know about the deeds the old Land
King had made for his sons; and how he got left on it. Served him
right, too! We could here Andrew swear, and see Adam beat his
horse, clear over here! That's right! Go ahead! Put on airs!
Tell us something we don't KNOW, will you? Maybe you think I
wasn't hanging pretty close around that neighbourhood, myself!"
"Spying?" cried Kate.
"Looking for timber," he sneered. "And never in all my life have
I seen anything to beat it. Sixteen hundred and fifty acres of
the best land in the world. Your share of land and money together
will be every cent of twelve thousand. Oh, I guess I know what
you've got up your sleeve, my lady. Come on, shell out! Let's
all go celebrate. What did you bring the children?"
Kate was rapidly losing patience in spite of her resolves.
"Myself," she said. "From their appearance and actions, goodness
knows they needed me. I have been to my father's funeral, George;
not to a circus."
"Humph!" said George. "And home for the first time in seven
years. You needn't tell me it wasn't the biggest picnic you ever
had! And say, about those deeds burning up -- wasn't that too
grand?"
"Even if my father burned with them?" she asked. "George, you
make me completely disgusted."
"Big hypocrite!" he scoffed. "You know you're tickled silly.
Why, you will get ten times as much as you would if those deeds
hadn't burned. I know what that estate amounts to. I know what
that land is worth. I'll see that you get your share to the last
penny that can be wrung out of it. You bet I will! Things are
coming our way at last. Now we can build the mill, and do
everything we planned. I don't know as we will build a mill.
With your fifteen thousand we could start a store in Hartley, and
do bigger things."
"The thing for you to do right now is to hitch up and take Aunt
Ollie and your mother home," said Kate. "I'll talk to you after
supper and tell you all there is to know. I'm dusty and tired
now."
"Well, you needn't try to fix up any shenanigan for me," he said.
"I know to within five hundred dollars of what your share of that
estate is worth, and I'll see that you get it."