? ? ? ? "And that is, to pay off the mortgage and clear the farm."
? ? ? ? "You can't do it!" exclaimed the squire uneasily.
? ? ? ? Cyrus Hooper's only answer was to call "Jefferson."
? ? ? ? Jefferson Pettigrew entered the room, followed by Rodney.
? ? ? ? "What does this mean?" asked the squire.
? ? ? ? "It means, Squire Sheldon," said Mr. Pettigrew, "that you won't turn my uncle out of his farm this time. My young friend, Rodney Ropes, has advanced Uncle Cyrus money enough to pay off the mortgage."
? ? ? ? "I won't take a check," said the squire hastily.
? ? ? ? "You would have to if we insisted upon it, but I have the money here in bills. Give me a release and surrender the mortgage, and you shall have your money."
? ? ? ? It was with a crestfallen look that Squire Sheldon left the farmhouse, though his pockets were full of money.
? ? ? ? "It's all up," he said to his friend Caldwell in a hollow voice. "They have paid the mortgage."
? ? ? ? After all the railway did cross the farm, and Uncle Cyrus was paid two thousand dollars for the right of way, much to the disappointment of his disinterested friend Lemuel Sheldon, who felt that this sum ought to have gone into his own pocket.
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