“I just hope everybody looks at the tractor properly now.”
The man nodded.
“I believe they will.”
Near the barn entrance, Earl approached the auctioneer.
He looked angry.
“You knew.”
The auctioneer stared.
“Knew what?”
“That machine wasn't junk.”
The auctioneer glanced around.
“Keep your voice down.”
Earl folded his arms.
“You told me to buy it for parts.”
“I told you I might have a buyer.”
“A buyer for what? A rare prototype?”
The auctioneer's face tightened.
“I don't owe you an explanation.”
Earl leaned closer.
“You wanted me to buy it cheap so you could sell it again.”
The auctioneer looked toward the estate executor.
She was speaking with the collector.
He lowered his voice.
“Don't make trouble.”
Earl stared at him.
Then he laughed bitterly.
“That's rich, coming from you.”
He turned and walked away.
The auctioneer watched him go.
For the first time, he realized he might have lost more than the tractor.
He might have lost the cooperation of the man who knew about his private arrangement.
Meanwhile, May's father arrived at the auction grounds shortly after lunch.
Her aunt had called him as soon as the collector identified the unusual serial number.
He parked his truck near the barn and hurried inside.
May saw him immediately.
“Dad!”
She ran toward him, holding her notebook against her chest.
He caught her in a hug.
“What's all this excitement?”
She looked up.
“I bought it!”
He laughed.
“I heard.”
“And Grandpa's notebook was right!”
His expression changed.
He looked toward the tractor.
Then toward the crowd gathered around it.
“What happened?”
May began explaining.
She talked so quickly that he had to ask her to slow down.
She described the bidding.
The laughter.
The auctioneer's attempt to stop her.
The identification plate.
The collector's reaction.
And the strange argument about canceling the sale.
Her father listened carefully.
When she finished, he looked toward her aunt.
“Is the paperwork proper?”
The older woman handed him the receipt.
He examined it.
Then he looked at May.
“Fifty-five dollars?”
She nodded proudly.
He smiled.
“Your grandpa would've called that an interesting gamble.”
May laughed.
Then her father's expression became serious.
“Did Vernon give you trouble?”