line, of course.

Bernick: What? Is there such a rumour as that going about?

Hilmar: It is all over the town. I heard it at the club when I
looked in there. They say that one of our lawyers has quietly
bought up, on commission, all the forest land, all the mining
land, all the waterfalls--

Bernick: Don't they say whom it was for?

Hilmar: At the club they thought it must be for some company, not
connected with this town, that has got a hint of the scheme you
have in hand, and has made haste to buy before the price of these
properties went up. Isn't it villainous?--ugh!

Bernick: Villainous?

Hilmar: Yes, to have strangers putting their fingers into our
pie--and one of our own local lawyers lending himself to such a
thing! And now it will be outsiders that will get all the
profits!

Bernick: But, after all, it is only an idle rumour.

Hilmar: Meanwhile people are believing it, and tomorrow or the next
day, I have no doubt Hammer will nail it to the counter as a fact.
There is a general sense of exasperation in the town already. I
heard several people say that if the rumour were confirmed they
would take their names off the subscription lists.