THE HILLCREST COMPANY, LIMITED
"Don't sign it!" shrieked 'Phemie, seeing Aunt Jane, her bonnet on as
usual, with a pen in her hand.
"For the good land's sake, child! how you scart me," complained the old
lady.
"Don't sign anything, Aunt!" urged 'Phemie. "That man is trying to cheat
you," and she pointed a scornful finger at Professor Spink.
"What do you mean, girl?" demanded the other man present, who was sitting
next to Mrs. Hammond. He looked like what he was--a shyster lawyer.
"This girl is crazy," snarled Spink, glaring at the party of young people.
"So are we all, then," Harris Colesworth responded. "I assure you, Mrs.
Hammond, that these men are trying to trick you."
"I dunno you, young man; but I _do_ know my own mind. This man, Spink, has
finally made me a good offer for Hillcrest Farm."
"And if you don't sign that paper at once, ma'am," suggested the lawyer,
softly, "the deal is off."
"That's right," declared Spink, rising. "I've made my last offer--take
it or leave it."
"How much do they offer you for the farm, Mrs. Hammond--if that's not a
rude question?" demanded Harris.
"Never _you_ mind!" blustered Spink.
But Aunt Jane stated the amount frankly.
"It's worth more," said Harris, sharply.
"I expect it is; but it ain't worth no more to me," replied the old lady,
calmly.
"I'll raise their offer a hundred dollars," said Harris, quickly. "My
name's Colesworth. My father and I are well known here and in Easthampton.
We are amply able to pay you cash for the place."
"Well, now," observed Aunt Jane, with satisfaction, while the girls
stared at the young fellow in wonder, "you are talking business. A hundred
dollars more is not to be sneezed at----"
"We'll raise the young man's bid another hundred, Mrs. Hammond,"
interposed the lawyer, eagerly. "But you must sign the agreement----"
"Raise you another hundred," said Harris.
The lawyer looked at his client for instructions. Professor Spink's face
was of an apoplectic hue and his eyes fairly snapped.
"No, no!" he shouted, pounding one fat fist into his other hand. "I know
this smooth swindler. He did me once before just this way. He sha'n't do
it now. He's got some inside information about that farm. It's all off!
I wouldn't buy the old place now at any price!"
He grabbed his hat and rushed for the door. The little lawyer followed,
seized his coattails, and tried to drag him back; but Professor Spink was
the heavier, and he steamed out into the hall, towing the lawyer, opened
the door, and finally dashed down the steps. He and his legal adviser
disappeared from sight.
"Well, young man," said Mrs. Hammond, calmly, "I expect you know what you
have done? You've spoiled that sale for me; I may hold you to your offer."
"If you want to, I shall not worry," laughed Harris, sitting down. "But
let us tell you all about it, Mrs. Hammond, and then I believe you will
think twice before you sell Hillcrest at _any_ price."
* * * * *
Right in that boarding-house parlor was laid the foundation of the now
very wealthy mineral water concern known as "The Hillcrest Company,
Limited." But, of course, it was months before the concern was launched
and the wonderfully curative waters of Hillcrest Spring were put upon
the market.
For once the fact was established that the mineral spring was there among
the rocks at the back of the farm, it was only a matter of searching for
it.
The spring was finally located in the very wildest part of the farm--in a
deep thicket, where the cattle, or other animals, never went to drink.
So the spring was thickly overgrown.
"And by cracky! you can't blame a cow for not wanting to drink _that_
stuff," declared Lucas Pritchett when he first tasted the water.
Medicinally, however, it was a valuable discovery. Bottled and put on
sale, it was soon being recommended by men high in the medical world.
"The old doctor knew a thing or two, even if he _did_ live back here on
the lonesomest hill in the State," said Aunt Jane. "No! I won't stay,
children. You've treated me fust-rate; but give me the town. I want life.
I don't see how Mrs. Castle can stand it. I'd vegetate here in a week and
take sech deep root that you couldn't pull me out with a stump-puller.
"Besides, I'm going to have money enough now to live jest like I want to
in town. And I'm going to have one of these automobile cars--yes, sir!
I'll begin to really and truly _live_, I will. You jest watch me."
But in her joy of suddenly acquired wealth she did not forget her
nieces--the girls who had really made her good fortune possible. Both
Lyddy and 'Phemie owned stock in the mineral water company; and then
Aunt Jane assured them that when she died they should own the farm
jointly. She had only sold the spring rights to the company.
The rest of the corporation consisted of Harris Colesworth and his
father, Rufus Castle, his mother, Grandma Castle, Lucas Pritchett
and--last but not least--Mother Harrison. The widow had asked the
privilege of investing in the stock of the company the fifty dollars
that Professor Spink had paid her for her husband's old desk.
And as that stock is becoming more and more valuable as time goes on, it
was not an unwise investment on the widow's part. As for Lucas, it was
by 'Phemie's advice that the young farmer put _his_ money into the stock
of the mineral water concern, instead of into a red-wheeled buggy.
"Wait a while, Lucas," said 'Phemie, "and you'll make money enough to own
a motor car instead of a buggy."
"And you'll take the first ride in it with me?" demanded Lucas, shrewdly.
"Yes! I'll verily risk my life in your buzz-wagon," laughed the girl. "But
now! that's a long way ahead yet, Lucas."
The summer had passed ere all these things were done and said. Nor
had the Bray girls lost a single opportunity of making their original
venture--that of keeping boarders at Hillcrest--a success.
Lyddy had bought her cooking stove, her chickens had turned out a nice
little flock for the next year, the garden had done splendidly, and when
the corn was harvested the girls banked a hundred dollars over and above
the cost of raising the crop.
Best of all, their father's state of health had so much improved, during
these last few weeks, that the girls could look forward with confidence
to his complete restoration, in time, to a really robust condition.
Hillcrest had been his salvation. The sun and air of the mountainside home
had finally brought him well on the road to recovery; and the joy his two
daughters felt because of this fact can scarcely be expressed in words.
Grandma Castle and the Chadwicks wanted to remain until New Year's, so
the girls got no real vacation. Several automobile parties had now found
their way to the house on the hill, and the old-fashioned viands, the
huge rooms, open fires, and all the "queer" furniture induced them to
return from time to time.
So Lyddy and 'Phemie decided to be prepared for such parties, or for other
people who wished to board for a week or so at a time, all winter.
Mr. Bray had grown so much stronger by now that sometimes he expressed
his belief that he ought to go back to the shop and earn money, too.
"Wait till next season, Father," Lydia urged him, softly. "We can all pull
together here, and if we have only a measure of good fortune, we shall
be independent indeed by _next_ fall."
The prospect was surely bright--as bright as that which lay before Lyddy
and Harris Colesworth one Indian summer day as they strolled down the lane
to the highroad.
"I don't see how Aunt Jane can find this place lonely," sighed Lyddy,
leaning just a little on the young man's arm, but with her gaze sweeping
all the fair mountainside.
"_You_ couldn't leave it, Lyddy?" he asked, with sudden wistfulness.
"No, indeed! Not for long. No other place would seem like _home_ to me
after our experience here. It's more like home than the house I was born
in at Easthampton.
"You see, we have struggled, and worked, and accomplished something
here--'Phemie and I. And Aunt Jane says it shall some day be ours--all of
Hillcrest. I love it all."
"Well--I don't blame you!" exclaimed Harris, suddenly swinging about and
seizing her hands. "But, say, Lyddy! don't be stingy about it."
"Stingy--about what?" she asked him, rather frightened, but looking up
into his sparkling eyes.
"Don't be stingy with Hillcrest. If you are determined to stay here--all
your life long--you know---- Don't you suppose you could find it in your
heart to let _me_ come here and--and stay, too?"
Nobody heard Lyddy Bray make an audible reply to this--not even the
curious squirrel chattering in the big beech over their heads. But Harris
seemed to see just the reply he craved in the girl's eyes, for he cried,
suddenly:
"You _dear_, you!"
Then they walked on together, side by side, over the carpet of
flame-colored leaves.