Part 6 (1/2)
No one replied, because no one had a possible answer
”Find theelse,” Scotty couess a host first appear?”
Barby answered ”Right after the Civil War”
Rick was patient ”I know Ihis recent appearances?”
”About a o,” Dr Miller replied ”We first heard about it from our tenant farmer e arrived here froine The ghost first appeared at a Girl Scouts'
cairls are supposed to caht
Needless to say, they didn't”
Rick had a quicklike leaves in a hurricane ”The appearances have been regular since then?”
”Yes So far as we know, the ghost always appears at nine”
Rick scratched his chin thoughtfully ”I wonder if he appears when there's no audience?”
Scotty chuckled ”That's like the question about does a falling tree make a noise if there's no one to hear it How can you tell?”
”I just wondered if the ghost would appear for a s us,” Scotty said with resignation ”When do we try, tonight?”
”Could be Are there any picnics or ht, Dr
Miller?”
”Not that I know of The next big affair is two days from now The Sons of the Old Dominion have their annual steak and crab feast This is the Old Dominion State, you know It's a ht,” Rick stated, with a glance at Scotty His pal nodded
Over a second hot dog, then a third, Rick continued his line of questioning Not until he began to askfact coht Dr Miller had received an offer to buy his property at a price considerably above the going hostly appearances started
”The offer wasn't for all the property,” Dr Miller added ”Only for the portion along our eastern line It includes the field where you landed, the picnic ground, and our part of the mine property The house and orchard were not included”
”How valuable is the part asked for?” Rick queried
”Not valuable at all, except that the field could be used for hay or alfalfa That's why I was rather puzzled”
”Who wanted the land?” Scotty asked
”I don't know The offer cah Jethro Collins, a local real-estate ent for out-of-town interests that preferred to remain unknown for political reasons It sounded fishy to ht be crooked?” Rick asked quickly
”No That didn't occur to ht want the property, and I' set up as a neighbor Besides, I don't care for Collins I'd rather not do business with him”