“I did say that I wouldn’t tell this to anybody,” said Coleman, in conclusion. “And I won’t tell it to any one except you-uns, who are so deeply interested in it. You won’t tell on me?”
“Did he say how much he was going to get?” asked Leon, after his father had made the required promise.
Coleman replied that he thought he was going to get twenty-five or thirty thousand dollars, and this proved that Mr. Smith did not know anything of the value of the deceased man’s legacy.
“That’s a heap of money,” said Leon. “And now, Coleman, I’ll tell you what we will do with you. If you will stay around with Smith and learn all you can in regard to his plans you shall not lose anything by it. I want to find out if he gets somebody else to assist him.”
Coleman promised, and having had his talk out went away.
“I can easily give him a thousand dollars to pay him for the trouble he has taken,” said Leon.
“But you must remember that you haven’t got the money yet,” said his father.
“Oh, I know I shall have some trouble in getting it,” said Leon, while that firm expression settled about his mouth. “When this trouble is over that fellow is going to camp on the place, and just as likely as not he will shoot down everybody who goes anywhere near the money.”
“Leon, I am afraid to have you go there,” said Mrs. Sprague.
“But think of the money! I tell you that will set us up. Then I can get an education. That’s one thing I will never have if I stay down here.”