“Yes, sir. We hold the deed and I preserved the check that my father gave for the land, when we came across it in going through his papers.”
“Where is the deed?” The gentleman spoke a little abruptly, Leslie thought. Who in the world could he be?
“The deed is in the bank at home, but I suppose if you want to assure yourself of our right here, you could consult the records here. I’m not sure just where the place is where the deed was recorded, but my sister will know. Leslie, please ask Beth to come.”
“That is not necessary,” impatiently their caller said. “I am sorry to tell you, but I am quite sure that your title is not clear. I understood that this land belonged to me. It is certainly included in the description upon the deed that I hold.”
“It is very strange,” said Dalton. “I think that you must be mistaken. When did you purchase the land to which you refer?”
Leslie was proud of Dalton. He talked just like Father and was so dignified and nice without being “mad.”
The gentleman hesitated. “It is part of a tract which I acquired some time ago. If I were, you I would not go on building, for I should certainly not sell this land on the bay. It is too bad, but why can you not look up a camp at some other place upon the coast? I know of several excellent places to be purchased at a low price. Indeed, considering the matter from your standpoint, I might part with a strip of land some forty miles from here for merely a nominal price.”
The man was almost fascinating when he smiled in this persuasive way, Sarita was thinking, but why so suave and urgent?
Dalton smiled. “If I have to prove that I own it, so do you,” he said, “and I think that I will not consider anything else just now. Perhaps it would be just as well not to go on with the building, though I have already ordered some material. If this should prove to be your land, I will pay you for occupancy, but we’ll just continue to camp here. My older sister is very tired after her teaching and likes this place. My father’s plans were all made and we expect to carry them out in part. But we will not destroy anything, and I will not cut down the trees that I intended until we look into the matter at the courthouse.”
That this did not please the gentleman was quite evident. He frowned. “I should like you to leave at once,” he said at last.