The Buccaneer Farmer | Page 3

a public advantage on our hilly
roads."
"It needs a good horse to bring half a load from station," Bell
interposed. "T'lurry would move as much in yan day as farmers' carts in
four."
Osborn agreed. He was not much of an economist, but it was obvious
that time and labor were wasted when a farmer took a few sacks of
potatoes to the railway and another a sack of wool. There was no
difficulty about the tender, because Osborn was chairman of the small
Slate Company; the trouble was that the contract would help Bell to
carry out another plan. The fellow was greedy, and was getting a rather
dangerous control; he had already a lease of the limekilns and Allerby
mill. But his rents were regularly paid, and it was an advantage to deal
with one prosperous tenant instead of several who had not his
punctuality and capital.
"The trailer would be useful if you decided to make the new terrace you
thought about," Hayes suggested. "The cost of carting the gravel and
the slabs for the wall would be heavy; but I have no doubt Mr. Bell
would undertake the work with the trailer on very reasonable terms."
"I might forget to send in t' bill. Yan good turn deserves another," Bell
remarked.
Hayes frowned. He had meant to imply something like this, but Bell
was too blunt. For all that, Osborn was not very fastidious and had long
meant to make the terrace when funds permitted. In fact, he hardly saw
the thing as a bribe; it was rather a graceful recognition of his authority.
"Very well," he said, "I'll sign the contract."
"There is another matter," Hayes resumed. "Mr. Bell is willing to take
up Harkness' tenancy of the coal yard and seed store at the station. He

hopes you will grant him a long lease."
Osborn pondered. Harkness had been drunken, careless, and often
behind with his rent. He had let his business fall away and it was
understood that Bell, who managed the opposition coal yard, had lent
him small sums and until recently kept him on his feet. This was not
because Bell was charitable, but because if Harkness came down while
he had any trade left, a capable rival might take his place. In the
meantime, his customers gradually went to Bell, and now Harkness had
failed there was no business to attract a newcomer.
"I don't know," said Osborn, "I had thought of advertising the yard and
store."
"You'll get nobody to pay what I'm offering," Bell replied. "A stranger
would want to see Harkness' books and there's nowt in them as would
tempt him to pay a decent rent. Then, with trailer going back from
station, I could beat him on the haulage up the dale. He'd niver get his
money back if he bowt an engine like mine."
This was plausible, but Osborn hesitated. He saw that Bell wanted a
monopoly and had a vague notion that he ought to protect his tenants.
"It's sometimes an advantage to have two traders in a place," he
remarked. "A certain amount of competition is healthy."
"I don't know if it would be an advantage to the estate, and imagine you
would not get a tenant to pay what Bell offers," Hayes replied. "Besides,
rival traders sometimes agree to keep up prices, and competition does
not always make things cheap."
"That's one of the ridiculous arguments people who want the
Government to manage everything sometimes use," said Osborn with a
scornful gesture.
Hayes smiled, "It is very well known that I am not an advocate of State
ownership. All the same, unnecessary competition would be wasteful in
the dale. For example, if you have two tenants at the station, the

farmers who deal with the new man must use their carts, each coming
separately for the small load a horse can take up Redmire bank, while
Bell's trailer, after bringing down the slate, would go back empty. Then
I hear some talk about a fresh appeal to the council to make the loop
road round the hill."
For a moment or two Osborn did not answer. Redmire bank was an
obstacle to horse traffic, and the road surveyor had plans for easing the
gradient that would necessitate cutting down a wood where Osborn's
pheasants found shelter. He had refused permission, and the matter had
been dropped; but, if the farmers insisted, the council might be forced
to use their powers. He was obstinate, and did not mean to let them
have the wood unless he could get his price.
"You know my opinion about that?" he said.
"Yes," said Hayes; "I imagine it would be prudent not to have the
matter brought up. However, if Bell can send back his lurry full, the