That would have been only human nature and
business, ef he'd had any during them flush times; but he hadn't. This
kinder puzzled them. They tackled the peons,--his niggers,--but it was
all 'No sabe.' They tackled another man,--a kind of half-breed Kanaka,
who, except the priest, was the only man who came to see him, and was
supposed to be mighty sweet on the darter or niece,--but they didn't
even get the color outer HIM. Then the first thing we knowed was that
old Sobriente was found dead in the well!"
"In the well, sah!" said the colonel, starting up. "The well on my
propahty?"
"No," said his companion. "The old well that was afterwards shut up.
Yours was dug by the last tenant, Jack Raintree, who allowed that he
didn't want to 'take any Sobriente in his reg'lar whiskey and water.'
Well, the half-breed Kanaka cleared out after the old man's death, and
so did that darter or niece; and the church, to whom old Sobriente had
left this house, let it to Raintree for next to nothin'.
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