"No, somebody stole his chickens. So he arranged a gun with a spring and he must have forgotten it."

"He didn't 'kalkilate' on its. .h.i.tting him?"

"Guess not. Mrs. Hawkins says she's too old to marry agin, and she can't run the house without a man she can trust."

"Let's stop and see her."

When they entered, Mrs. Hawkins threw up her hands. "Lord a Ma.s.sy! I heerd at the store all about you comin' back, but where on airth _did_ you come from? They said you was dead an' here you are as handsome as ever. How's your wife, an' that boy o' yourn?"

"Both well, I'm happy to say. 'Zeke tells me you want to sell out."

"Yes. Now Jonas has gone there's n.o.body to take care of the chickens, an' a hotel 'thout chickens an' fresh eggs is no home for a hungry man."

"What will you take for the place just as it stands?"

"Well, I've figured up an' I should lose money ef I took less'n four thousand dollars, an' I ought to have five."

"I'll take the refusal of it for forty-eight hours at five thousand. Is it agreed?"

"I'd hold it a month for you, Mister Sawyer, but I want to go and help Mandy soon's I can now that Hiram's laid up for n.o.body knows how long."

"We'll have Hiram on his feet again very soon, Mrs. Hawkins. I'll be down again in a few days."

"Give my love to Alice," she called after them as they were driving away.

The next evening Quincy asked his son to come to the library with him.

"Quincy, I want to borrow fifty thousand dollars. Can you spare it?"

"Twice as much if you need it. I'll give it to you. It's yours anyway."

"No, I want to borrow it at six per cent."

"Are you going into business?"

"Yes." Then Quincy told him of his conversation with Mr. Strout.

"How are you going to beat him?" asked young Quincy.

"I'll tell you. I'm going to buy the Hawkins House. I shall have it lifted up and another story put underneath. There will be room for a store twice as large as Strout's, and a hotel entrance and office on the ground floor. I'll put Hiram Maxwell in charge of the store."

"Who'll run the hotel?"

"'Zeke says Sam Hill is the man for the place, and his wife Tilly will be the housekeeper, chief cook, etc."

"Do you mean to run Mr. Strout out of town?"

"That is my present intention. Not for personal vengeance but for the ultimate good of the community."

"I'd like to help, but the work isn't in my line."

"Seriously speaking, Quincy, what is your line--the law?"

"No."

"Business?"

"No."

"What then?"

"Don't know. Am thinking it over."

"Have you seen that Miss Dana yet?"

"No. Mr. Isburn told me she is out West now on an important case."

"We'll get her to find Strout after he leaves Fernborough. Give me that check to-morrow early. I'm going to Fernborough with an architect to have plans made for the alterations."

Mr. Strout could look from his window and see what was going on at the Hawkins House.

"Who's bought the hotel, Abner?"

"Well, Mr. Strout, they do say it's Mr. Quincy Adams Sawyer, an' that Sam Hill and his wife Tilly are going to run it."

"I won't sell them a darned thing."

Mr. Stiles grinned. "Can't they buy in Cottonton, or Montrose, or Eastborough? Mr. Sawyer's got stores there."

"Well they'll want things in a hurry, but they won't get them from me."

A month later Abner rushed into the store.

"Say, Strout, they're putting up a new sign on the Hawkins House. Come and see it."

Mr. Strout walked leisurely to the window and put up his hand to shade his eyes. Great white letters on a blue ground.

THE SAWYER GROCERY COMPANY

"By George, Strout, there's going to be another grocery."

Mr. Strout did not speak, but walked back behind the counter. Abner went to see the sign raising.

Mr. Strout soliloquized: "So, he's going to fight me, is he? Well, I'll spend every dollar I have, and borrow some more, before I'll give in.

He'll cut prices--so will I."

Then a troubled look came into his face.

"Confound it. My commission as postmaster runs out in a month, but our Congressman is a good friend of mine."