Mrs. Chadwick said in reply, as James very well knew, that though there were but six acres cleared, yet by reason of the natural grass that grew on the intervale, it cut as much hay as the other place, that had twenty acres cleared by fire and axe.
After talking a while she fell to eight and a half. James replied that he compassionated her misfortunes, and wished she might get ten dollars, and even more, per acre, but that he was a young man just starting in life, had but seven hundred and sixty dollars in the world, but could get enough more to make up to eight hundred, and would give that, she replied,—
“Can I have any time to think of it? I would like to consult my brother-in-law.”
“I am going through here to-morrow on my way home. I will call then and get your mind.”
When upon his return, he told what he had said to Mrs. Chadwick, Emily replied,—
“I do not see how you could offer eight hundred for the land, when you have got but seven hundred and sixty, and you have always said that you never would spend all you had, to get a piece of land, and then be obliged to go on it without a cent to help yourself with.”
“Nor do I intend to do it either. Arthur Nevins has been coaxing me for several months to sell the colt to him. He’s an extra colt, and I don’t know but he’ll make as good a horse as old Frank. He has offered me a hundred and ten dollars for him. I am going to ask him a hundred and twenty. I know he’ll give it; if not, there’s another who will, and I shall have eighty dollars left.”
“Is that enough to begin with?”
“Many have begun with less, but that is not my method of looking at things. I shall work for Mr. Whitman this summer, trap with William next winter, and if Mrs. Chadwick takes me up, go on to the place in the spring or early in the fall. If she won’t sell, I shall by that time have sufficient, by the blessing of God,—as grandfather, if he was living, would say,—to buy a place in this region equally good. There are always people enough who are unfortunate or fickle-minded, who want to sell.”
James slept but very little that night, for his heart was set upon getting that land, and more especially since he saw that his companion was equally desirous of making it her home.