Mr. Parsons smiled and nodded, and opening the door admitted them to the
dining-room.
"Well, that beats all," said Abner, as he went out on the platform in
front of the hotel. "They jest whispered somethin' to him and he let 'em
right in. I kinder think somethin's goin' on and thet Strout ain't up to
it. Guess I'll go back and tell him," which he proceeded to do.
He found Strout and some sixty or seventy of the citizens still
remaining in the Town Hall, the majority of whom were eating the
luncheons that they had brought with them from home. Taking Strout
aside, Abner confided to him the intelligence of which he had become
possessed.
"'D'yer know what it means?" asked Abner.
"No, I don't," said Strout, "but I bet a dollar that it's some of that
city chap's doin's. Is he 'round about town this mornin'?"
"No," said Abner, "he went to Bosting on the same train with Miss Lindy
Putnam, for I fetched her down, and I saw him git inter the same car
with her as I wuz drivin' off."
One o'clock soon arrived, and the large party that had regaled
themselves with the appetizing viands and non-alcoholic beverages
supplied by mine host of the Eagle Hotel came back to the Town Hall in
the best of spirits.
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