They passed through the little square in front of Hill's grocery, and as
luck would have it, Professor Strout was standing on the platform
smoking a cigar. Huldy smiled and nodded to him, and Quincy, with true
politeness, followed a city custom and raised his hat, but the Professor
did not return the bow, nor the salute, but turning on his heel walked
into the grocery store.
"Professor Strout is not very polite, is he, Mr. Sawyer?" asked Huldy,
laughing.
Quincy replied, looking straight ahead, "He has never learned the first
letter in the alphabet of the art."
Quincy had a disagreeable duty to perform. He enjoyed Miss Huldy's
company, but she was not the sort of girl he could love enough to make
his wife. Then the thought came to him, supposing she should fall in
love with him; that was not impossible, and it must be prevented.
When they were about half a mile from Mason's Corner, on their way home,
Quincy realized that he could not put the matter off any longer.
Just as he was going to speak to her she turned to him and said, "Let me
drive the rest of the way home, Mr.
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