‚ÄúThank you,‚Äù said Alwyn, but he looked over the account and found the whole bill at least twice as large as he expected. Without further parley, he made some excuse and started to town while Mr. ¬ÝCresswell went to the telephone.
In town Alwyn went to all the chief merchants one after another and received to his great surprise practically the same estimate. He could not understand it. He had estimated the current market prices according to the Montgomery paper, yet the prices in Toomsville were fifty to a hundred and fifty percent higher. The merchant to whom he went last, laughed.
“Don’t you know we’re not going to interfere with Colonel Cresswell’s tenants?” He stated the dealers’ attitude, and Alwyn saw light. He went home and told Zora, and she listened without surprise.
‚ÄúNow to business,‚Äù she said briskly. ‚ÄúMiss Smith,‚Äù turning to the teacher, ‚Äúas I told you, they‚Äôre combined against us in town and we must buy in Montgomery. I was sure it was coming, but I wanted to give Colonel Cresswell every chance. Bles starts for Montgomery‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù
Alwyn looked up. “Does he?” he asked, smiling.
“Yes,” said Zora, smiling in turn. “We must lose no further time.”
“But there’s no train from Toomsville tonight.”
“But there’s one from Barton in the morning and Barton is only twenty miles away.”
“It is a long walk.” Alwyn thought a while, silently. Then he rose. “I’m going,” he said. “Goodbye.”