Bacon was down on the ground under the machine, tightening some burrs.

This was a good chance for two reasons.

In the first place the keen, almost savage eyes of Bacon were no longer where they could glare on him, and in spite of his cool exterior Lime had just as soon not have the old man looking at him.
Besides, the old farmer had been telling about his "river eighty," which was without a tenant; the man who had taken it, having lost his wife, had grown disheartened and had given it up.
"It's an almighty good chance for a man with a small family.

Good house an' barn, good land.

A likely young feller with a team an' a woman could do tip-top on that eighty.