Mystery Ranch

Read Mystery Ranch for Free Online Page B

Book: Read Mystery Ranch for Free Online
Authors: Gertrude Warner
dug.”
    Aunt Jane said slowly, “I know one man who can do it. My brother, James.”
    For a minute the children could not speak. Then Jessie cried, “Oh, he could, Aunt Jane!”
    “And now I wonder if he would,” said Aunt Jane, “after the way I’ve treated him.”
    “I’m sure he would,” said Jessie excitedly.
    “Well, I hope so,” said her aunt. “I could never stand hundreds of people running all over my ranch—your ranch. I’ll send your grandfather a night letter.”
    “If you will write a night letter,” said Henry, “I’ll take it to Tom Young’s house and have him send it tonight.”
    “You care a lot for your grandfather, don’t you?” asked the old lady, with a sharp look.
    “And we care a lot for you, too,” said Henry.
    “Get me some paper at once, Henry,” said Aunt Jane, “before I change my mind.”
    The children were very quiet while their aunt wrote the night letter. They were afraid every minute that she would change her mind.
    “Listen to this,” she said at last. “‘Will you take over all business of the uranium fields, now owned by your grandchildren? For once I am glad to have you for a boss. The children and Watch send love. Jane.’”
    “Perfect!” said Henry.
    Next morning, right after breakfast, a telegram came for Aunt Jane.
    She read it aloud, “‘I shall be glad to take over this business. You do not have to see me. Decide how much land you want to keep for yourself and we will build a fence around it. I will send a guard for the house. James Alden.’”
    “A guard for this house!” cried Benny. “Isn’t this exciting!”
    Jessie called, “Look! Here’s a car already!”
    The car was full of telephone men. One of them asked Aunt Jane very politely where she wanted the telephones.
    “Telephones?” asked Benny. “Are you going to put in two?”
    “We have to put in four,” he said. “I guess you folks don’t know what you are in for.”
    “No, I guess we don’t,” said Henry. “I think I had better go to town and telephone Grandfather now. I may not have a chance later.”
    Henry left with Watch.
    How wonderful it was to talk with Grandfather!
    “Now, listen carefully,” Mr. Alden said, “Your aunt’s ranch must always be kept a pleasant place for her to live. So, when you have time, let her decide where the fence should go. Then she could always do anything she wanted with the ranch itself. Do you understand?”
    “I think so. You mean we still might want to run the ranch?”
    “Exactly.”
    Henry noticed that his grandfather still called the ranch “hers.” He also knew that he must get right at the fence. When his grandfather said, “When you have time,” he meant right away.
    Henry went back to the ranch and told his aunt what Mr. Alden had said.
    “Grandfather wants us to decide where that fence shall go.”
    “I know already,” said the little lady. “Here is a plan of the ranch. I have marked where I want the fence to go.”
    Aunt Jane listened. “Here comes another car,” she said.
    “Poor Aunt Jane!” said Jessie. “You’ll never get any rest.”
    “That’s Grandfather for you,” said Benny.
    The men were sent by Mr. Alden to put up the fence. Henry was glad that his aunt had the plan ready in time.
    Jessie asked, “Do you want Henry to carry you to bed, Aunt Jane?”
    “No. I want him to help me to the kitchen window, so I can see the cars drive up. I want to see everything.”
    Henry took her to a big easy chair by the kitchen window.
    “Doesn’t Grandfather work fast?” asked Jessie.
    “He always did,” said her aunt. “Once he worked too fast for me. But not now. Here comes another car!”
    “I just can’t believe it,” said Violet, “we’ll never get any work done.”
    Benny came in to tell the news. His face was red with excitement.
    “The guards are here!” he shouted. “They will stop people from knocking on our door all the time and asking us about the uranium. They say we will get tired

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