"You've got some kind of a proposition in mind," said Keith, who did the
talking because he could keep his temper better than Crane. "What do you
want?"
"Make me an offer," said Scattergood.
"We'll buy your provision company--and give you a decent profit."
"Don't sound enticin'," said Scattergood, reaching down and loosening
his shoe. It was too cold to omit the wearing of heavy woolen socks, so
he could not twiddle his toes with perfect freedom, but he could
twiddle them some, and that helped his mental processes.
"Well, what do you want?"
"I'll sell the provision company's stock of provisions--and nothin'
more.... At a profit. You got to buy, 'cause you can't make arrangements
to git in grub before I bring on a famine for you.... And I got the grub
stored in warehouses. That's part of it. Second, I'll _lease_ you my
river for three years. You wasn't calc'latin' to pay for the use of it.
So you be obleeged to pay in advance. I figgered my profits on drivin'
at about two thousand this year. Give you a three-year lease for five
thousand. I hain't no hog.... Yes or no."
There was a brief conference. "Yes," was the answer.
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