"No, sir," replied Mrs. Kimball, firmly, "I won't sign. I've made up my mind not to put my name to this deed, 'n' I ain't agoin' to."

"What?" exclaimed the lawyer.

"What?" cried Mr. Ranquist.

"What?" almost shouted Mr. Dudley.

Then all three said, "What!" in a chorus.

"No, sir!" repeated Mrs. Kimball, "I'm not agoin' t' sign, 'n' thet's th' end on 't," and she shut her lips firmly.

"Why this is ridiculous. I never heard of such a thing," began the lawyer. "Why, my dear Mrs. Kimball, your husband can't convey this property unless you sign the deed also. That is the law. Husband and wife must both sign the deed. This puts us in a pretty predicament!"

"I thought it would," said Mr. Vanter, softly; and at the words, Mr.

Ranquist turned angrily toward him.

"Oh, so you've been meddling," the engineer remarked, with a sneer.

"If you call it that," rejoined Mr. Vanter coolly.

"Can't you induce your wife to sign?" asked the lawyer of Mr. Kimball.

The grizzled farmer, who had returned, smiled good naturedly.

"I don't like t' be disobligin'," he said, slowly, "but from long experience I know thet whenever Mrs. Kimball makes up her mind not t' do a thing, she won't do it. I've tried her before, 'n' I know. Ef she says she won't sign, there's no use a' me, er any one else tryin' t' make her," and Mr. Kimball sat down.

"And I suppose I hardly need point out," interposed Mr. Vanter, "that, without the consent of Mrs. Kimball her husband cannot legally sell that property. I rather guess the Universal Salt Company will have to get along without the spring-glade, Mr. Ranquist. What do you think of the situation now?"

Mr. Ranquist, without replying, turned angrily to his lawyer.

"I'm afraid he's right," a.s.sented the legal representative of the foiled plotters. "The law requires the unenforced consent of the wife if the husband sells any of his property. This is a woman's dower right, and amounts to a third interest in her husband's real estate. We can't get this land unless Mrs. Kimball signs the deed, and she--"

"She's not goin' t' sign, 'n' ye needn't try t' make her," interrupted that lady. "I guess that'll put a spoke in yer wheel," she added as she swept out of the room.

"I rather think th' deal's off, gentlemen," said Mr. Kimball as he laid a five hundred dollar bill with the other money. "I'm sorry, but it can't be helped. Curi's how obstinate some womenfolks be," and he chuckled loudly. "That's yer money back."

For a little while Mr. Ranquist looked very angry and disappointed.

"I think you are all making a mistake," he said. "We made a fair bargain for the land, and gave you just what you asked. There may be salt on it, and, then, there may not be. If there is, it may not be that there will be enough to make it pay. But we are willing to take the risk. However, if you think you should have more money, why perhaps five hundred dollars additional--"

Mr. Kimball made a gesture of dissent.

"Or say one thousand more," said Mr. Ranquist, eagerly.

"I reckon we won't do any tradin' t'-day," broke in Mr. Kimball. "I calalate I'll farm thet salt mine myself. I guess I kin make out t' dig 'nuff t' make it pay."

"All right, suit yourself," came from Mr. Ranquist, as if he was ready to give up. He turned to the lawyer, who handed him a paper.

"I'm sorry," said the engineer, and his lips showed a cruel smile, that indicated just the opposite feeling, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'll be obliged to ask Mr. Kimball to pay off this mortgage. It is some time overdue, and has been a.s.signed to us. I presume you have the money handy, Mr. Kimball, otherwise we shall at once begin action to foreclose, and take the farm from you. In the meantime we shall, as a matter of precaution, retain control of that part of the land known as the spring-glade."

"Wh--What?" stammered poor Mr. Kimball, for the demand of Mr. Ranquist came like a stab in the back. "Why-why, I thought--"

"Never mind what you thought," interrupted Mr. Ranquist. "The question is, have you the cash to pay off this mortgage with?" and his tone held a threat.

"N-no, sir--I can't say--wa'al, I ain't got it, 'n' thet's th'--"

"Oh, yes, he has it all right," broke in Mr. Vanter. "Here is the money!"

He threw a roll of crisp bills on the table.

"I think you'll find the amount correct," he went on, turning to Mr.

Ranquist, who showed every sign of deep chagrin. "I rather guess I've beaten you at your own game," proceeded the surveyor. "I was prepared for this little move on your part. Now, if you will kindly cancel the mortgage I guess that will be about all to-day."

There was nothing for Mr. Ranquist to do, but accept the offer, and take the money. He would much have preferred foreclosing the mortgage, since then he would be in possession of the farm and the valuable salt mine.

"How--how's this?" began Mr. Kimball brokenly. "I didn't know--"

"That's enough, now," said Mr. Vanter kindly. "I'm attending to this for you. The mine on your land will be worked by the Pipe Line Salt Company, and not by the Universal," he said to Mr. Ranquist. "Still, if you care to make us an offer, we may be willing to consider it. And, now, let me bid you good day."

Silently receipting for the money, and cancelling the mortgage, Mr.

Ranquist, followed by Mr. Dudley and the lawyer, left the room, neither one speaking.

"Hurrah!" cried Adrian, as the door closed on the plotters, "we beat 'em, Roger. Hurrah!"

"And it's all due to Roger, here," said Mr. Vanter as he shook hands heartily with the boy. "If he hadn't discovered the white crystals, and called to see me, these men would now be in possession of the salt mine.

As it is, Mr. Kimball still owns it."

"But ye paid th' mortgage," insisted the farmer, to whom the whole transaction was still much of a mystery. "That ent.i.tles ye t' th' farm, don't it?"

"You may look upon that as a loan from me," said Mr. Vanter. "A sort of investment. But we are all still pretty much in the dark. Suppose there is salt in such a small quant.i.ty that it will not pay to mine it?"

This idea made every one feel quite anxious.

"We'll soon find out, however," went on the surveyor, "for I'm going to sink a shaft to-morrow. Until then we shall have to be patient."

CHAPTER XXIV

DIGGING FOR SALT

Early the next morning Mr. Vanter went to the spring-glade, and started the two men at work, sinking the shaft, which they had to abandon so suddenly the day before. The surveyor decided on going straight down, instead of in at a slant, which he had at first believed best. Roger and Adrian watched the operations with interest, as did a throng of people, who were not disturbed as they gathered about the spot. The good news had gone all over Cardiff, and there was not a person, excepting the plotters, but what rejoiced at Mr. Kimball's fortune in saving his land.

The digging progressed slowly, as only a small shaft was to be sunk, and but one man could work in it at a time. For three anxious days the labor went on, the hole in the ground becoming deeper and deeper. The man whose turn it was to go into the excavation was below the level of the surface now. Mr. Kimball, and all his family, as well as the neighbors, were wondering whether or not salt would be struck in sufficient quant.i.ties to make the venture pay. If not, it would have been better had Mr. Kimball accepted the offer of Mr. Ranquist. Two days more of digging would tell the story. And those two days were filled with anxious uneasiness on the part of all in the farmhouse. The work went on early and late, and Mr. Kimball neglected all but the most necessary of his duties to watch the progress.

The sinking of the shaft was done in rather a primitive fashion. A hole, almost like that dug for a well, was started, and, when the bottom got so far below the surface that the earth could no longer be tossed out, the men rigged up a windla.s.s and rope, on the end of which was a large bucket, into which the dirt was placed to be hauled up and dumped.