“Hain’t it lucky,” said Scattergood, “that some men manages to marry wimmin that kin look after their business?”

“Not for the wimmin,” said Mrs. Bailey, shortly.

“My name’s Baines,” said Scattergood.

“I calculate to know that.”

“Like livin’ here, ma’am?”

“Not so but what I could bear a change.”

“Um!...  Mis’ Bailey, I calc’late you’d hate to see Jim make a little money so’s to be able to git away from here if he wanted to.”

“Him?  Only way hell ever make money is to ketch a solid-gold trout.”

“Maybe I’m the solid-gold trout you’re speakin’ about,” said Scattergood.

She regarded him sharply a moment.  “Set,” she said.  “Looks like you got somethin’ on your mind.”

There were times when Scattergood could be direct and succinct.  He perceived it was best to be so with this woman.

“I might want to buy this here store—­under certain conditions.”

“How much?”

“Inventory, and a share in the profits of a deal I got in mind.”

“What’s them conditions you mentioned?”

“That you and Jim don’t mention the sale to anybody, and keep on runnin’ the place—­for wages—­until I’m ready for you to quit.”

“What’s the deal them profits is comin’ from, and how much you figger they’ll be?”

“The deal’s feedin’ about five hunderd men, and the profits’ll be plenty.  I furnish the capital and show you how it’s to be done.  All Jim’ll have to do is foller directions.”

Then, lowering his voice, Scattergood went farther into particulars.  Suddenly Mrs. Bailey arose, and screamed shrilly to an urchin playing in the road, “You, Jimmy, go up the brook and fetch your pa.”  Scattergood knew his deal was as good as closed.  Before the up-bound stage arrived it was closed.  The Baileys had cash in hand for their store and Scattergood carried away a duly executed bill of sale.

The following day, for fifteen hundred dollars cash, he acquired all the property of the stage line—­and when the news became public it was believed that Scattergood had departed from his wits, for the line was notoriously unprofitable and an aching worry to its owners.  But the commotion the transfer of the stage line created was as nothing to the news that Scattergood had bought a strip of land along the railroad at the mouth of the river, and was erecting a large wooden building upon it.  When asked concerning this and its purpose, Scattergood replied that he wasn’t made up in his mind what he would use it for, but likely it would be an “opry” house.

Following this, Scattergood went to the city, where he spent much valuable time interviewing gentlemen in wholesale grocery and provision houses....

Jim Bailey liked to fish—­which is not an attribute to create scandal.  He was not ambitious, nor was he endowed with a full reservoir of initiative, but he was a shrewd customer and seldom got the worst of it.  One virtue he possessed, and that was an ability to follow directions—­and to keep his mouth shut.