"Just so," agreed Harris. "He made out he was ent.i.tled to a pension from the government, for years. And he always told folks he had brought a fortune home from the war with him. Let on that he had hidden it about the house, too."

Professor Spink's eyes snapped, and he leaned forward.

"You don't reckon there is anything in that story; do you, Mr.

Colesworth?" he asked.

"Why--I don't--know," said Harris, slowly, but with a perfectly grave face. "As I make it out, when the old fellow died the widow made search for this hidden treasure he had hinted at so often; but when the lawyers found out that he was ent.i.tled to no pension--that he'd lied about _that_--and that about all he had left her was a mortgage on the place, Mrs. Harrison gave up the search for money in disgust. She said as he'd lied about the pension, and about other things, why, of course he'd lied about the hidden treasure."

"And don't you think he did?" asked Spink, with so much interest that the others were amused.

"Humph!" responded Harris, gravely. "I don't know. He _might_ have hidden bonds--or deeds--or even bank notes."

"Pshaw!" exclaimed Mr. Bray, laughing. "That's imagination."

"You need not mind, Professor," said old Mr. Colesworth, sharply. "If there is money, or treasure, hidden there in the house, or on the place, and you have bid the place in, as I understand you have, it will be 'treasure trove'--it will belong to you--if you find it."

"Ha!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Professor Spink, darting the old gentleman rather an angry glance.

"I don't know whether it is altogether talk and imagination, or not,"

said Harris, ruminatively. "Cyrus Pritchett was with Bob Harrison when he died. And he says the old man talked of this hidden money--or treasure--or what-not--up to the very time be became unconscious. He had a shock, you know, and it stopped his speech like _that_," and Harris snapped his finger and thumb.

"It sounds like a story-book," said Grandma Castle, complacently.

"It doesn't sound sensible," observed Lyddy, drily.

"I'm giving it to you for what it's worth," remarked Harris, good-naturedly. "Mr. Pritchett was sitting up with Harrison when the old man had his final shock. Harrison had been mumbling along to Cyrus about what he wanted done with certain of his possessions. And he says:

"'There's that hid away that will be wuth money--five thousand in hard cash--some day, Cy.'

"Those are the words he used," said Harris, earnestly, and watching Professor Spink from one corner of his eye. "He was sitting up, Cy said, and as he spoke he pointed at---- Well," broke off Harris, abruptly, "never mind what he pointed at. He died before he could finish what he was saying."

"Is that the truth, Harris Colesworth?" demanded 'Phemie, regarding him seriously.

"I got it from Lucas. Then I asked his father. That is just the way the story was told to me," declared the young fellow, warmly.

"And--and they never found anything?" asked Mr. Bray.

"No. They searched. They searched the old pieces of--of furniture, too.

But Mrs. Harrison gave it up when it was found that Bob had been such a--a prevaricator."

"He probably lied about the fortune," said Mr. Bray, quietly.

"Well--maybe," grunted Harris.

But Lyddy remembered that Harris had already told her that he proposed to go to the vendue and buy in several pieces of the widow's furniture. Did that mean that Harris really thought he had a clue to the hidden treasure?

CHAPTER XXIII

THE VENDUE

Lucas Pritchett drove into the yard with the two-seated buckboard about nine o'clock the next forenoon. And, wonders of wonders! his mother sat on the front seat beside him.

'Phemie ran out in a hurry. Lyddy was getting ready to go to the vendue.

She wanted to bid in that Dutch oven--and some other things.

"Why, Mrs. Pritchett!" exclaimed the younger Bray girl, "you are welcome!

You haven't been here for an age."

Mrs. Pritchett looked pretty grim; but 'Phemie found it was tears that made her eyes wink so fast.

"I ain't never been here but onct since you gals came. And I'm ashamed of myself," said "Maw" Pritchett. "I hope you'll overlook it."

"For goodness' sake! how you talk!" gasped 'Phemie.

"Is it true you gals have saved that poor old critter from the farm?"

demanded Mrs. Pritchett, earnestly, and letting the tears run unchecked down her fat cheeks.

"Why--why----"

"Widder Harrison, she means," grunted Lucas. "It all come out yesterday at church. The widder told about it herself. The parson got hold of it, and he put it into his sermon. And by cracky! some of those folks that treated ye so mean at the schoolhouse, Sat.u.r.day night, feel pretty cheap after what the parson said."

"And if my Sairy ever says a mean word to one o' you gals--or as much as _looks_ one," cried Mother Pritchett, "big as she is an',--an', yes--_old_ as she is, I'll spank her!"

"Mrs. Pritchett! Lucas!" gasped 'Phemie. "It isn't so. You're making it up out of whole cloth. We haven't really done a thing for Mrs. Harrison----"

"You've thought to take her in and give her a home----"

"No, no! I am sure she will earn her living here."

"But none of us--folks that had knowed her for years--thought to give the poor old critter a chanst," burst out the lady. "Oh, I know Cyrus wouldn't 'a' heard to our taking her; and I dunno as we could have exactly afforded it, for me an' Sairy is amply able to do the work; but our Ladies' Aid never thought to do a thing for her--nor n.o.body else,"

declared Mrs. Pritchett.

"You two gals was ministerin' angels. I don't suppose we none of us really knowed how Mis' Harrison felt about going to the poorhouse. But we didn't inquire none, either.

"And here's Lyddy! My dear, I'm too fat to get down easy. I hope you'll come and shake hands with me."

"Why--certainly," responded Lyddy. "And I am really glad to see you, dear Mrs. Pritchett."

She had evidently overheard some, if not all, of the good lady's earnest speech. Harris Colesworth appeared, too, and Professor Spink was right behind him.

"You stopped for me, as I asked you to, Lucas?" asked the young chemist.

"Sure, Mr. Colesworth."

"Miss Lydia is going, too," said the young man.