refuse to sell, they will have to choose another site.”
“But I don’t understand,” said Laurel. “I didn’t see any water on the place you pointed out as we passed.”
“No, you couldn’t see it from the road, but it’s there, up higher behind those thick trees beyond the house. A beautiful waterfall. It’s not far from that picnic ground you spoke about. It’s quite a fall, and then afterward the water winds about and down the mountain on the other side, where it finally flows into the river below Carrollton. But the water power is the reason for their selecting that site of course. I hadn’t thought of that when I felt the land wasn’t worth anything. But the government has offered me a nice price for the land.”
“Well, I congratulate you! How nice to have that happen just now before you leave!”
“Yes, it’s fine. But it means that I’ve got to call up my captain and get permission to stay over until this business is finished. If I can’t get that, it’s all off, for they won’t wait. They are in a hurry to get started.”
“Oh, will you have trouble getting permission?”
“Well, I don’t know. I haven’t asked any favors before. As this is a government offer, it may make a difference. Of course Mr. Banfield is trying to arrange it from his end or I couldn’t get anywhere with the captain. But even so, there’s a lot of red tape in the army that can’t be cut, you know.”
“Well now, drive to a telephone station right away and find out. Don’t bother about me. I can find a boarding place later if I need it.”
Pilgrim shook his head.
“No,” he said, “it wouldn’t be any use to telephone yet. He is away from camp this afternoon—won’t be back till six o’clock. I’ve got time enough to find out several boarding places first.”
“Oh!” said Laurel with worry in her eyes. “Are you
sure?
I would so hate to think you missed this chance of selling at a good price just on my account!”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I guess there’ll be a chance to sell all right. I’ll call up at six, and then I’ve got to jog over to the city and see a man tonight. Too bad I’ll have to desert you this evening. I’d much rather stay. But is there anything I could do for you in the city in case your car isn’t fit for travel tonight? Of course I’d ask you to go along with me, but this old car isn’t very comfortable. And besides, I suspect it wouldn’t be considered by your friends as quite the thing for you to take a long ride in a car like this, and in the
evening
with a comparative stranger.”
“Say now, that isn’t fair. Have I been treating you that way today?”
“No, you haven’t,” said Pilgrim, smiling. “I’ll say you’ve been a good sport. But then this would be a different proposition, to go to the city in this old ramshackle car. You know, I never can be sure it will last for a long journey. I might have to spend half the night repairing it. I’m not sure, but I may have a flat tire to deal with before long. But as long as the going is good, I guess I can make it. Now, how about stopping at this house? They tell me Mrs. Price still takes a few boarders. It looks quiet and respectable.”
“Oh, why yes, that looks nice. But, really, if you are going to the city on your own account, I think I’ll accept your invitation and go with you, provided you’ll let me pay for the gas. However, it will do me no harm to run in here and see what the prospect is, in case
neither
of us has a seaworthy car.”
Laurel was not long inside.
“Yes, it’s a nice place,” she said. “I told her I’d come Monday or perhaps tonight in case my car didn’t get finished. Now, Phil Pilgrim, won’t you please go and telephone your captain?”
“Yes, presently,” said Pilgrim, smiling. “We’ll see how the car is getting on first.”
So they went back to the garage.
“How you getting on, Mark?” asked Pilgrim as they pulled up beside where he
“But I don’t understand,” said Laurel. “I didn’t see any water on the place you pointed out as we passed.”
“No, you couldn’t see it from the road, but it’s there, up higher behind those thick trees beyond the house. A beautiful waterfall. It’s not far from that picnic ground you spoke about. It’s quite a fall, and then afterward the water winds about and down the mountain on the other side, where it finally flows into the river below Carrollton. But the water power is the reason for their selecting that site of course. I hadn’t thought of that when I felt the land wasn’t worth anything. But the government has offered me a nice price for the land.”
“Well, I congratulate you! How nice to have that happen just now before you leave!”
“Yes, it’s fine. But it means that I’ve got to call up my captain and get permission to stay over until this business is finished. If I can’t get that, it’s all off, for they won’t wait. They are in a hurry to get started.”
“Oh, will you have trouble getting permission?”
“Well, I don’t know. I haven’t asked any favors before. As this is a government offer, it may make a difference. Of course Mr. Banfield is trying to arrange it from his end or I couldn’t get anywhere with the captain. But even so, there’s a lot of red tape in the army that can’t be cut, you know.”
“Well now, drive to a telephone station right away and find out. Don’t bother about me. I can find a boarding place later if I need it.”
Pilgrim shook his head.
“No,” he said, “it wouldn’t be any use to telephone yet. He is away from camp this afternoon—won’t be back till six o’clock. I’ve got time enough to find out several boarding places first.”
“Oh!” said Laurel with worry in her eyes. “Are you
sure?
I would so hate to think you missed this chance of selling at a good price just on my account!”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I guess there’ll be a chance to sell all right. I’ll call up at six, and then I’ve got to jog over to the city and see a man tonight. Too bad I’ll have to desert you this evening. I’d much rather stay. But is there anything I could do for you in the city in case your car isn’t fit for travel tonight? Of course I’d ask you to go along with me, but this old car isn’t very comfortable. And besides, I suspect it wouldn’t be considered by your friends as quite the thing for you to take a long ride in a car like this, and in the
evening
with a comparative stranger.”
“Say now, that isn’t fair. Have I been treating you that way today?”
“No, you haven’t,” said Pilgrim, smiling. “I’ll say you’ve been a good sport. But then this would be a different proposition, to go to the city in this old ramshackle car. You know, I never can be sure it will last for a long journey. I might have to spend half the night repairing it. I’m not sure, but I may have a flat tire to deal with before long. But as long as the going is good, I guess I can make it. Now, how about stopping at this house? They tell me Mrs. Price still takes a few boarders. It looks quiet and respectable.”
“Oh, why yes, that looks nice. But, really, if you are going to the city on your own account, I think I’ll accept your invitation and go with you, provided you’ll let me pay for the gas. However, it will do me no harm to run in here and see what the prospect is, in case
neither
of us has a seaworthy car.”
Laurel was not long inside.
“Yes, it’s a nice place,” she said. “I told her I’d come Monday or perhaps tonight in case my car didn’t get finished. Now, Phil Pilgrim, won’t you please go and telephone your captain?”
“Yes, presently,” said Pilgrim, smiling. “We’ll see how the car is getting on first.”
So they went back to the garage.
“How you getting on, Mark?” asked Pilgrim as they pulled up beside where he
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