"
"Get out!" cried Sandy, clearly incredulous.
"That's a fact," declared Mr. Pertell. "And, more than once, some of
them have bought old locomotives and coaches, and set them going
toward each other on the same track, to make a railroad collision."
"Do you mean it?" cried Sandy.
"I certainly do. Why, one manager actually burned up a whole mining
town just to get a good picture. He destroyed more than twenty
shacks. Of course they weren't very elaborate ones, but he got a fine
effect."
"Wa'al, then I reckon burnin' one barn isn't so wonderful," observed
Sandy.
"No, indeed. And I'll see Squire Blasdell the first thing in the
morning to get my plans ready for this. But I'm sorry to hear of your
trouble, Sandy, I sure am. What caused it; did the crops fail?"
"No, we've always had pretty good crops, or we wouldn't stay here,"
answered the young farmer. "But I don't reckon we'll be able to stay
here much longer. It will be hard for pa and ma, too. They don't want
to leave--it will break 'em all up. They've lived here all their
lives, and they counted on dyin' and bein' buried here. But I reckon
they won't now."
"Why not? Are you about to be put off the farm?"
"We will be, by fall, unless I can raise four thousand dollars--and I
can't do that, nohow," said Sandy, sadly.
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