at me sharply.

"Um; yes," he grunted. "I presume likely. You're charmed, too, ain't
you?"

I was not expecting this. I murmured something to the effect that I was
delighted, of course.

"Sartin. Well, that's all right. I didn't get you on this settee to
charm you. I want to talk business with you a minute."

"Business! With me?"

"Yup. Or it may be business later on. I've been thinkin' about that
Shore Lane, the one that runs through your land. Us town folks use that
a whole lot. I cal'late most everybody's come to look at it as a reg'lar
public road to the beach."

"Why, yes, I suppose they have," I said, puzzled to know what he was
driving at. "It is a public road, practically."

"No, 'tain't, neither. It's a private way, and if you wanted to you
could shut it off any day. A good many folks would have shut it off
afore this."

"Oh, I guess not."

"I guess yes. I'd shut it off myself. I wouldn't have Tom, Dick and
Harry drivin' fish wagons and tip carts full of seaweed through my
premises free gratis for nothin'."