u
know Abner,--well, he's the next best talker to 'Bias Smith,--he stood
up and said he didn't think it was safe to trust the town's money to a
man who couldn't go to Boston and come home sober, and that pulled over
some of the fellers who'd agreed to vote for Wallace."

"Has the tax collector performed his duties satisfactorily?" asked
Quincy.

"Well," said Hiram, "Wallace Stackpole told me the other day that he
hadn't got in more than two-thirds of last year's taxes. He said the
selectmen had to borrow money and there'd be a row at the next town
meetin'."

"Well," said Quincy, rising, "I think I will go in and get ready for
lunch. I had a very early breakfast in Boston."

"Did you have oyster stew?" asked Hiram.

"No," replied Quincy, "people who live in Boston never eat oyster stews
at a restaurant. If they did there wouldn't be enough left for those
gentlemen who come from the country."

He opened the door and Hiram grasped his arm.

"By Gosh! I forgot one thing," he cried. "You remember Tilly James, that
played the pianner at the concert?"

"Yes," said Quincy, "and she was a fine player, too."

"Well," said Hiram, "she's engaged to Sam Hill, you know, down to the
grocery store. That ain't all, old Ben James, her father, he's a
paralytic, you know, and pretty well fixed for this world's goods, and
he wants Benoni to sell out his grocery when Tilly gets married and come
over and run the farm, which is the biggest one in the town, and I heerd
Abner Stiles say to 'Manuel Howe, that he reckoned he--you know who I
mean--would get some fellers to back him up and he'd buy out the grocery
and get 'p'inted postmaster. I guess that's all;" and Hiram started off
towards Deacon Mason's.

Quincy went to his room and prepared for the noonday meal. While doing
so he mentally resolved that the singing-master would not be the next
tax collector if he could prevent it; he also resolved that the same
party would not get the grocery store, if he had money enough to outbid
him; and lastly he felt sure that he had influence enough to prevent his
being appointed postmaster.

Quincy met Ezekiel at lunch. He told Quincy that everything was working
smoothly; that the singing-master evidently thought he had the field all
to himself. He said Huldy and Alice were old friends, and Huldy was
coming over twice a week to see Alice, and so he shouldn't go up to
Deacon Mason's very often.

"Where is Miss Pettengill?" said Quincy.

"