"Very seldom，sir.Grandmother would like to sell it with the horse.""It's exactly what I need，"declared Mr.Merrick."Howmuch for Joe and his harness，and the surrey？""I'll go and ask what grandmother wants."She returned after a few minutes，stating a figure thatmade Uncle John lift his brows with a comical expression.
"A hundred dollars！Do you take me for a brigand，littlegirl？I know what horses are worth，for I've bought plenty of 'em.Your Joe seems sound as a dollar，and he's just in his prime.A hundred and ？fty is dirt cheap for him，and the surrey will be worth at least seventy—？ve.Put in the harness at twenty—？ve，and I'll give you two—？fty for the out？t，and not a cent more or less.Eh？""No，indeed，"said Ethel."We could not get more than a hundred dollars from anyone else around here.""Because your neighbors are countrymen，and can'tafford a proper investment.So when they buy at all they only give about half what a thing is actually worth.But I'll be honest with you.The price I offer is a good deal less than I'd have to pay in the city—Hutchinson would charge me ？ve hundred，at least—and I need just what you've got to sell.What do you say，Miss Ethel？""The price is one hundred dollars，Mr.Merrick.""I won't pay it.Let me talk with your grandmother.""She does not see anyone，sir."Louise looked up sharply，scenting another clue."Isn't she well，dear？"she asked in smooth tones.
"She looks after grandfather，and helps Aunt Lucy with the housework.""Well，come，Louise；we'll go home，"said UncleJohn，sadly."I'd hoped to be able to drive this fine fellow back，but Dan'll have to groan an'balk all the way to the farm."Ethel smiled.
"Better buy at my price，Mr.Merrick，"she suggested."Tell you what I'll do，"he said，pausing."I'll split thedifferencea.Take two hundred and well call it a bargain.""But I cannot do that，sir.""It will help pay you for the hard work of fixing up the house，"he rejoined，pleadingly."Your bill wasn't half enough.""My bill？"wonderingly.
"The one I paid McNutt for your services."
"I made no charge，sir.I could not accept anything for a bit of assistance to a neighbor.""Oh！Then McNutt got it，did he？""I'm awfully sorry，Mr.Merrick.I told Peggy I would not accept payment.""H—m.Never mind.We're not going to quarrel，littleneighbor.May I hitch Joe to the surrey？""If you like.I'll help you."Uncle John led Joe from his stall and together they harnessed the horse to the surrey.The girl knew better than the man how to buckle the straps properly，while Louise stood by helplessly and watched the performance.
Then Uncle John went for old Dan，whom he led，rickety buggy and all，into the Thompson stable.
"I'll send Hucks over to get him，although we might aswell knock him in the head，"he said as he unharnessed the ancient steed."Now then，Louise，hop ina.""You'll be sure to come over Thursday，for the day，Miss Thompson？"asked Louise，taking Joe's reins from her uncle's hands.
"I'll not forget such a delightful engagement，be sure."Uncle John had his pocketbook out，and now he wadded upb some bills and thrust them into the little school teacher's hand.
"Drive ahead，Louise，"he called."Good morning，mydear.See you on Thursday."As the vehicle rolled out of the yard and turned into the highway，Ethel unrolled the bills with trembling ？ngers.
"If he has dared—！"she began，but paused abruptly with a smile of content.
The rich man had given her exactly one hundred dollars.