“But they gave that beautiful big building to the town, pop,� put in Robbie.
“Yes. It cost the Baldwins one hundred thousand dollars, and it has cost the town twice that.�
“How is that, pop?�
“In taxes lost. The Assessors say:—‘we must tax the Baldwins lightly, because they are so generous to the town.’ Some of the Baldwin properties are not assessed for more than one-third value, an enormous loss to the town in taxes.�
Soon they left the valley, and began to climb the mountain, still going eastward.
“Wild flowers, pop. Please hold up, and let me get some.� The boy soon returned to the carriage, with his hands full of the blossoms of the coltsfoot, white, blue, and yellow violets, bell-flowers, and wake-robins. As they ascended the mountains, they found the trailing arbutus and the spring-beauty, which had bloomed earlier in the valleys.
A beautiful farm was reached.
“Who owns this?� asked Mrs. Wycliff.
“Thomas Bothan. He has retired from business, and spends some of his time here. I hope I may find him.� Then, for the first time, he told his wife of the last day at Beauna Vista,—how Sharp and Bothan had conspired to keep back a part of his wages on Bothan’s old debt. He had not dared to tell her at the time.
He soon found Mr. Bothan.