"Yes, yes!" Allan said. "Yes! I am acting for my father. I have his permission to—to settle—the house will cost a great deal to repair, a great deal!"
"I haven't disguised nothing from you and no one can say——"
"I will offer you twenty-five thousand on my father's behalf!"
"Oh sir, oh consider! A fine house her be and wunnerful good land the best in all Sussex and twenty-five thousand b'ain't no more than about thirty pounds an acre, a terribul little money that, sir, for land so good and the historical association and all!"
"Twenty-seven!" Allan said briefly.
"There be Mr. Van Norden a considering of it at this very moment——"
Allan hated bargaining, hated money. His life had been spent in an atmosphere of money. He knew that above and before all he wanted to be rid of this man, he wanted to go back to the old garden and sit there on the sun warmed stone seat and see if his dream would not come back to him.
"Twenty-eight thousand, then, and no more, I have done, take it or leave it!"
"You'll like to see the cottages and the Inn, a wunnerful old Inn her be with historical interest and——"
"No!" said Allan. "No! do you take my offer, yes or no? Tell me now!"