"He said his name was Gerry or Ferry or something like that. He's kind of bashful, I 'magine."

"It's Merry," Quincy exclaimed. "Something has turned up at the State House, but it will keep till morning."

As they were ascending the stairs, Mrs. Hawkins called out, "Oh, Mr.

Sawyer, there was a letter came for you. It's up in your room."

It was from Maude. "Let us see what that volatile sister of mine has to say. Something very important or she wouldn't write." As he opened the note sheet, he turned to his wife. "Shall I read it aloud?"

"I should love to hear it."

Quincy read:

"MY ABSENT RELATIVE: You will be delighted to hear that I have found Captain Hornaby's missing coat and wallet. I was out in the new boat when I saw something on the bottom of the pond. You know the water is as clear as gla.s.s. It wasn't very deep and I fished the coat up with an oar. I gave it to father and he examined the wallet with apparently great interest. Perhaps he thought there was some money in it, but there wasn't. There were some visiting cards bearing the name Col. Arthur Spencer, but nary a red. Father is trying to find out who the Colonel is. I think father loaned the Captain some money--don't you? Now that we have a real live boat, no more slippery canoes for me. I hope you and Alice are having a fine time--of course you will on your old stamping ground.

"I don't find any fault, because I'm so young and of so little importance, but it seems funny that n.o.body ever invited me to visit Fernborough. Please don't consider this a bid for an invite, for I won't come. Your neglected sister,

"MAUDE."

"Is it possible?" cried Alice, "that Maude has never been here?"

"It is a lamentable fact."

"She won't come now."

"I'll fetch her,--hand-cuffed, if necessary."

Quincy was up early to learn Merry's errand. A request had come from the Governor of Colorado for the extradition of a Pole named Ivan Wolaski, who was accused of being concerned in a dynamite explosion in a Colorado mine.

"Have you looked into the case, Harry?"

"Somewhat. I think it is part of a political feud."

Quincy made preparation for an immediate departure.

"Mrs. Hawkins, I must go to Boston at once with Mr. Merry. Will you have Andrew get a team ready for me? I will leave it at the Eagle Hotel. I know the way home."

"You ought to," said she. "You've druv it times enough."

"What will you do with yourself all day, Alice? I must go to the State House on business, but I'll be back by six o'clock."

"If I were home I'd have my horse saddled and have a ride out to the Arboretum or Chestnut Hill."

"They've no saddle horses here, unfortunately. I'll tell you what to do.

After dinner go down to Mandy Maxwell's and see her and the children, and have a talk with Uncle Ike. I'll be there in time for supper, tell Mandy."

When Quincy went down stairs he found that Mrs. Hawkins had gone out to the stable to give Andrew directions about the team.

Quincy said in a low tone: "Mrs. Hawkins, have you some spare stalls in your stable that I can use while here?"

"You can have the old barn all to yourself. It's a leetle further from the house, but it's in first-rate order."

As they drove towards Eastborough Centre, Quincy pointed out the objects of interest to Mr. Merry, who thought Fernborough a beautiful town.

"Come down next Sat.u.r.day afternoon, Harry, and stay over Sunday. Bring down any important letters. Perhaps my sister Maude will come back with me."

Mr. Merry accepted the invitation with polite outward thanks, but with an inward sense of intense gratification. Love is blind. If he had reflected, he would have come to the conclusion that the daughter of the Hon. Nathaniel Adams Sawyer, the millionaire, was not for him, an unfledged lawyer with a mother to support.

When they reached Eastborough Centre, Quincy found he was too late for the train. He had nearly an hour at his disposal. His first visit was to the Eagle Hotel, where he put up the horse. Mr. Parsons, the proprietor, was greatly pleased to meet him.

"You haven't forgotten how we railroaded Strout out of office, have you?"

"That was long ago," said Quincy. "Strout and I are good friends now.

He's one of my partners in the Fernborough store.'

"So I've been told."

Quincy took Mr. Parsons aside and had an animated conversation with him.

"I can get you just what you want, Guv'nor. Kind and gentle but some go in them when needed."

"Send them to the Hawkins House and don't forget the saddles."

They crossed the square to the telegraph office, where Quincy sent this message.

"Miss MAUDE SAWYER,

"Wideview, Redford, Ma.s.s.

"Meet me at State House by two o'clock. Leave your trunk at station.

Something important.

"QUINCY."

As they were leaving the office Quincy met Tobias Smith, father of Abbott and Ellis Smith, and Wallace Stackpole.

"Glad to see you, Guv'nor," said 'Bias. "You remember Mr. Stackpole that we gave Strout's job of tax-collector to--he's held it ever since. We're mighty glad Strout lives in Fernborough. We don't have circuses at town meetings now he's gone."

Quincy's next visit was to the office of the _Fernborough Gazette_, which was published in Eastborough, as the editor and proprietor, Mr.

Sylvester Chisholm, Mr. Strout's brother-in-law, could not get printers in Fernborough, and, being an Eastborough-born boy, his paper had a large circulation in that town and in Westvale, its princ.i.p.al village.

Quincy obtained some copies of the paper containing his speech at the Town Hall. On looking it over he was astonished to find it reported _verbatim_.

"How did you manage it, Mr. Chisholm? My address was extemporaneous."