I was not expecting this. I murmured something to the effect that I was delighted, of course.
“Sartin. Well, that's all right. I didn't get you on this settee to charm you. I want to talk business with you a minute.”
“Business! With me?”
“Yup. Or it may be business later on. I've been thinkin' about that Shore Lane, the one that runs through your land. Us town folks use that a whole lot. I cal'late most everybody's come to look at it as a reg'lar public road to the beach.”
“Why, yes, I suppose they have,” I said, puzzled to know what he was driving at. “It is a public road, practically.”
“No, 'tain't, neither. It's a private way, and if you wanted to you could shut it off any day. A good many folks would have shut it off afore this.”
“Oh, I guess not.”
“I guess yes. I'd shut it off myself. I wouldn't have Tom, Dick and Harry drivin' fish wagons and tip carts full of seaweed through my premises free gratis for nothin'.”
“Why?” I asked. “What harm does it do?”
“I don't know as it does any. But because a tramp sleepin' on my front piazza might not harm the piazza, that's no reason why I'd let him sleep there.”