and look at their
office. Quincy did so. A man about thirty years of age arose from a
chair and stepped forward as they entered, saying, "Hello, Chisholm, I
have been waiting nearly half an hour for you."

"Mr. Appleby, Mr. Sawyer," said Sylvester, introducing the two men.

"Mr. Appleby occupies a similar position on the 'Montrose Messenger' to
the one that I hold on the 'Eastborough Express,'" said Sylvester, by
way of explanation to Quincy. "We exchange items; that is, he supplies
me with items relating to Montrose that are supposed to be interesting
to the inhabitants of Eastborough, and I return the compliment. Here are
your items," said Sylvester, passing an envelope to Mr. Appleby.

Mr. Appleby seemed to be in great haste, and with a short "Good morning"
left the office.

"He is a great friend of Professor Strout's," remarked Sylvester.

"You speak as though you were not," said Quincy.

"Well," replied Sylvester, "I used to think a good deal more of him at
one time than I do now, not on account of anything that he has done to
me, but I do not think he has treated one of my dearest friends just
right. Did you hear anything, Mr. Sawyer, about his being engaged or
likely to be engaged to Deacon Mason's daughter, Huldy?"

Quincy looked at Sylvester and then laughed outright.

"No, I haven't heard of any such thing," he replied, "and considering
certain information that I have in my mind and which I know to be
correct, I do not think I ever shall."

"Will you tell me what that information is?" asked Sylvester.

"Well, perhaps I will," said Quincy, "if you will inform me why you wish
to know."

"Well, the fact is," remarked Sylvester, "that for quite a while
Professor Strout and my sister Bessie, whom you saw last night at the
party and with whom you danced, kept company together, and everybody
over here to the Centre thought that they would be engaged and get
married one of these days; but since that concert at the Town Hall,
where you sang, a change of mind seems to have come over the Professor,
and he has not seen my sister except when they met by accident. She
thinks a good deal of him still, and although the man has done me no
harm personally, of course I do not feel very good toward the fellow who
makes my sister feel unhappy."

"Now," said Quincy, "what I am going to say I am going to tell you for
your personal benefit and not for publication. I happen to know that
Miss Huldy Mason is engaged defini