When Hiram and Quincy were alone together, the latter said: "Any news,
Hiram?"
"Not much," replied Hiram. "The snow is too deep, and it's too darned
cold for the boys to travel 'round and do much gossipin' this weather. A
notice is pasted up on Hill's grocery that it'll be sold by auction next
Tuesday at three o'clock in the afternoon. And I got on to one bit of
news. Strout and his friends are goin' to give Huldy Mason a surprise
party. They have invited me and Mandy simply because they want you to
hear all about it. But they don't propose to invite you, nor 'Zeke, nor
his sister."
"Has Strout got anybody to back him up on buying the grocery store?"
asked Quincy.
"Yes," said Hiram, "he has got two thousand dollars pledged, and I hear
he wants five hundred dollars more. He don't think the whole thing will
run over twenty-five hundred dollars."
"How much is to be paid in cash?" Quincy inquired.
"Five hundred dollars," said Hiram; "and that's what troubles Strout.
His friends will endorse his notes and take a mortgage on the store, for
they know it's a good payin' business.
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