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 Saturday 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.”