vely, "it's rumored Mavin Newton's a-comin' back for this here
Old Home Week."

"Um!... Mavin Newton.... Um!... Who up and la'nched that rumor?"

"Everybody's a-talkin' it up. Folks says he's sure to come, and then
what in tunket'll we do? The sheriff's goin' to be busy handlin' the
crowds and the traffic and sich, and he won't have no time fer extry
miscreants, seems as though.... Folks is a-comin' from as fur 's Denver,
and we don't want no town criminal brought to justice in the middle of
it all. Though Mavin's father 'd be glad to see his son ketched, I
calc'late."

"Hain't interviewed Mattie Strong as ree-gards _her_ feelin's, have ye?"

"I wonder," said Pliny, with intense interest, "if Mattie's ever heard
from him? But she's that close-mouthed."

"'Tain't a common failin' hereabouts," said Scattergood. "How long since
Mavin run off?"

"Eight year come November."

"The night before him and Mattie was goin' to be married."

"Uh-huh! Takin' with him that there fund the Congo church raised fer a
new organ, and it's took them eight year to raise it over ag'in."

"And in the meantime," said Scattergood, "I calc'late the tunes off of
the old organ has riz about as pleasin' to heaven as if 'twas new.
Squeaks some, I'm told, but I figger the squeaks gits kind of filtered
out, and nothin' but the true meanin' of the tunes ever gits up to Him."
Scattergood jerked a pudgy thumb skyward.

"More 'n two hunderd dollars, it was--and Mavin treasurer of the church.
Old Man Newton he resigned as elder, and hain't never set foot in church
from that day to this."

"Bein' moved," said Scattergood, "more by cantankerousness than grief."

"I'll venture," said Pliny, "that there'll be more'n five hunderd old
residents a-comin' back, and where in tunket we're goin' to sleep 'em
all the committee don't know."

"Um!... G'-by, Pliny," said Scattergood, suddenly, and Pliny,
recognizing the old hardware merchant's customary and inescapable
dismissal, got up off the step and cut across diagonally to the post
office, where he could air his importance as a committeeman before an
assemblage as ready to discuss the events of the week as he was himself.

It was a momentous occasion in the life of Coldriver; a gathering of
prodigals and wanderers under home roofs; a week set aside for the
return of sons and daughters and grandchildren of Coldriver who had
ventured forth into the world to woo fortune and to seek adventure.
Preparation