"Yes," said Hiram. "Wouldn't she be s'prised?"
"Why?" asked Quincy. "Such a call wouldn't be considered anything out of the way in the city."
"No, nor it wouldn't here," said Hiram, "but for the fact that Miss Putnam don't encourage callers. She goes round a visitin' herself, and she treats the other girls fust rate, 'cause she has plenty of money and can afford it. But she has got two good reasons for not wantin' visitors."
"What are they?" asked Quincy.
"Well, I'm country myself," said Hiram, "and there are others in Eastborough that are more country than I am. But if you want to see and hear the genooine old Rubes you want to see old Sy Putnam and his wife Heppy."
"But Miss Mason said Miss Putnam was quite wealthy."
"You bet she is," said Hiram. "She's worth hundreds of millions of dollars."
"I think you must mean thousands," remarked Quincy.
"Well, as far as I'm concerned," said Hiram, "when you talk about millions or thousands of money, one's just the same to me as t'other. I never seed so much money in my life as I seed since you've been here, but I don't want you to think I'm beggin' for more."