“I suppose he is going to the party at the tavern to-night,” Lot murmured. Suddenly his face took on a piteous, wistful look like a woman's; tears stood in his blue eyes. He doubled over with a violent fit of coughing, then went back to his chair and his book.
This party had been the talk of the village for several weeks. It was to be an unusually large one. People were coming from all the towns roundabout. Burr Gordon had been one of the ringleaders of the enterprise. All day long he worked over the preparations, dragging out evergreen garlands from under the snow in the woods, cutting hemlock boughs, and trimming the ball-room in the tavern. Towards night he heard a piece of news which threatened to bring everything to a standstill. The dusk was thickening fast; Burr and the two young men who were working with him were hurrying to finish the decorations before candlelight when Richard Hautville came in. Burr started when he saw him. He looked so like his sister in the dim light that he thought for a moment she was there.
Richard did not notice him at all. He hustled by him roughly and approached the other two young men. “Louis can't fiddle to-night,” he announced, curtly. The young men stared at him in dismay.
“What's the trouble?” asked Burr.
“He's hurt his arm,” replied Richard; but he still addressed the other two, and made as if he were not answering Burr.
“Broke it?” asked one of the others.
“No; sprained it. He was clearing the snow off the barn roof and the ladder fell. It's all black-and-blue, and he can't lift it enough to fiddle to-night.”
The three young men looked at each other.
“What's going to be done?” said one.
“I don't know,” said Burr. “There's Davy Barrett, over to the Four Corners—I suppose we might get him if we sent right over.”