crowd became quiet.

"Friends and Feller Citizens: I have this day received my commission as
postmaster at Mason's Corner, Mass. Mail matter will be sorted with
celerity and delivered only to the proper parties, while the firm of
Strout & Maxwell will always keep on hand a full assortment of the best
family groceries at reasonable prices. Soliciting your continued
patronage, I remain, yours respectively.

OBADIAH STROUT, Postmaster.

As the Professor stepped down from the barrel, Abner Stiles caught him
by the arm and said in a low voice, "Isn't Deacon Mason one of your
bondsmen?"

"Yes," said Strout, somewhat pompously, "but what of it?"

"Why, yer see," said Abner, "I'm workin' for the Deacon now, and I'm
just as devoted to his interests as I used to be to yourn onct, and with
a much better hope of reward, both on this earth and in Heaven, and if
he's got money put up on yer, of course yer won't object if I drop in
onct in a while and kinder keep an eye on yer." And with this parting
shot he dashed out a side door and was lost to sight.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

BLENNERHASSETT.

When comparatively great events follow each other in quick succession,
those of minor importance are liable to escape mention. It was for this
reason, probably, that the second visit of Dr. Tillotson was not spoken
of at the time of its occurrence. He examined Alice's eyes and declared
that progress towards recovery was being made, slowly but surely. He
left a bottle of new medicine, and advised Alice, as an aid to recovery,
to take a long walk, or a ride, each pleasant day. This advice he
repeated to Uncle Ike, who was waiting for him outside the front door,
and to Quincy, who brought him from the station and took him back.

On the day fixed upon, Quincy drove over to Montrose, and accompanied by
Squire Rundlett, went to the county town and presented Mrs. Putnam's
will for probate. In due time the will was admitted, the executors'
bonds were filed and approved, and Quincy, at the age of twenty-three,
found himself one of the financial guardians of the young heiress, Mary
Alice Pettengill, she being his junior by less than two years.

About ten days after Quincy's interview with his Aunt Ella, in which she
had signified her intention of making him an allowance, he received a
letter from a Boston banking firm, informing him that by direction of
Mrs. Ella Chessman, the sum of five thousand dollars had been placed to
his credit, and th