y Collins had been savin' funeral money fer
years--had it hidden in a fruit jar, no sich fund was found. The real
estate would have to be sold to pay the claim.

"Except fer Ugly, they was no heirs, en Ugly didn't answer roll-call.
By order of the court, Ugly was pronounced dead. Simmy Gordon, the
village cut-up, said hit was a cheap funeral fer Ugly en good
riddance. But Simmy was wrong, as usual. The home was sold--by fine
print--hit was bid in by Romine fer about the price of his bill and
the costs. Later Romine deeded hit to another, who in turn deeded hit
to Logan, who now owns hit, en the yearly income would pay a funeral
bill--with flowers.

"Ugly's return at this critical time rather upset Logan's plans. Hit
would interfere with his gittin' a bank opened and himself back on the
payroll. If Ugly had been flush with funds, had employed lawyer
Gregory to git Ugly's death-order rescinded, en pried into the details
of the old lady's estate, hit would have blowed the lid off. Hit would
have shore been bricks and cabbages fer Logan, right when he's
plannin' a posie shower.

"Forty dollars was none too big to fend off the disaster. But where
Logan missed the gap in the fence was that he didn't inquire as to
details. He knew Ugly come in by train. He thought the forty would be
expended in the same way."

The two reached the Gillis home as the lady was lighting the lamp and
setting out the evening meal. "Why, you and that girl must be
preparing a lengthy address," she said to Davy jestingly.

"That gal and I have surely had a busy day. We've certainly upset some
precedents, broken some rules, and maybe some laws. Your brother here
was a full participant, a co-conspirator, and was awarded the Medal of
Intrigue by Mister Potter, when the meeting closed. But excuse me,"
said the now jovial midget as he walked away. "I just can't look at
those baking-powder biscuits without grabbing one; I'm that wolfish."

During the meal, Davy invited Landy to tell of the day's happenings.
"Yer new boarder here bought the Bar-O ranch--trouble en all," said
Landy quietly. "En he's plannin' to promote the circus business by
raisin' a lot more lions, tigers, hyenas, en sich. He's got a good
start now, en he plans a glorious finish."

The news electrified the Gillises. It provoked much discussion and
required many explanations. It allowed Davy time to eat a hearty meal.
Finishing, he pushed back his chair to state some final conditions.