He was trembling with excitement.
"Then that's settled," Pell announced.
Unnoticed, Lucia had come to the top of the stairway, and stood listening
to every word. And Hardy, who had been trying his best to get a word in
edgewise, finally managed to cry out:
"Wait a minute!"
No one paid any attention to him. Gilbert was in deep meditation. He turned
to Pell. "But I don't want to be under any obligation to you," he said.
"You won't," the other affirmed, and anxiety was in his voice. "Well, is it
a go?"
"A go?" yelled Uncle Henry, unable to restrain himself. "It's gone!"
Hardy stepped in between Pell and Jones.
"Hold on, there! You can't do this."
Pell looked him squarely in the face, "Why not, I'd like to know."
"You mean you'd do me out of this property at the last minute?" Jasper
Hardy asked.
Pell smiled. "That's my specialty!"
Indignation was in every fiber of Hardy's gaunt frame. He was losing his
temper, and he was wise enough to know that that would never do. The
unforgivable sin was to lose control of oneself. He must hold on to his
voice, his movements; but a nest of hornets, under attack, could not have
been angrier. "I protest!" he said, as calmly as he could.
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