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In silence he had turned to his aunt; and what he read in her misty eyes, read in the eyes of all, even the shrewd, kindly eyes of Drake the Silent and in the slap from his congratulatory paw, was all that man could ask; more than man could deserve. Afterward the entire party, including Jimmie Drake, who was regarded as the grand master of Cottonton by this time, took train for New York.
So it was arranged that Tom Chripp should go to the preparatory school and college with Quincy, the latter to pay the expenses of both. "'Twas a lucky day for Tom that sent that Sawyer boy to school in Cottonton," said Mr. Chripp to his wife. "It'll be the making of Tom," he added, and the happy mother thought so too. When Mr. Strout heard of it, he remarked to his partner Mr. Maxwell,
In the grand stand sat three people wearing a blue and gold ribbon the Desha colors. Occasionally they were reinforced by a big man, who circulated between them and the paddock. The latter was Jimmie Drake. The others were "Cottonton," as the turfman called them. They were Major and Mrs. Calvert and Sue Desha. Colonel Desha was not there. He was eating his heart out back home.
But long afterward, when time, mighty adjuster of the human soul, had given to events their true proportions, that meeting with "Cottonton" loomed up in all its greatness, all its infinite appeal to the emotions, all its appeal to what is highest and worthiest in man. In silence, before all that little world, Sue Desha had put her arms about his neck. In silence he had clasped the major's hand.
If she had any secret thoughts concerning him they were driven from her mind by the receipt of a telegram just as they sat down to dinner. "REDFORD, MASS., July 2, 187 . "MAUDE SAWYER, Care of Q. A. Sawyer, "Fernborough, via Cottonton. "Do please come home at once. Something terrible has happened. "What can it be? What do you think is the matter? The message is so inexplicit."
"That's what I've been telling you about it for. You've a good knack of disposing of your own and other folks' money, and I thought you could help me out." Quincy did not speak for some time. Finally he said, "Uncle Ike, the Town Hall in Fernborough is but one mile from the centre of the city of Cottonton. That city is peopled, principally, with low-paid cotton mill operatives.
The Cottonton Brass Band was now stationed in the hall, and a short concert closed the evening's entertainment, which was allowed, by all, to be the most high-toned affair ever given in the town. As Quincy laid his head upon his pillow that night, his mind reverted to his first arrival at Mason's Corner, and the events that had taken place since.
Afterward he took Garrison to his first respectable lunch in months and bought him an outfit of clothes. On their return to the corner nook, fifth shelf of the bookcase, a reply was awaiting them from Major Calvert. The long-lost nephew, in company with Mr. Snark, was to start the next day for Cottonton, Virginia. The telegram was warm, and commended the eminent lawyer's ability.
Hawkins was on the watch for them. "There's a young man here to see you, Mr. Sawyer. He came on the train to Cottonton and my man Andrew brought him over. I told him you wouldn't be home till late and I sent him off to bed. Was that all right?" "I can tell better," said Quincy, "when I find out who he is and what he wants." "He said his name was Gerry or Ferry or something like that.
While at the Cottonton High School, Quincy's chum had been a boy two years older than himself, named Thomas Chripp. He was the son of a weaver at Cottonton. Like Quincy, he had been born in England, but his father had been drawn to America by the lure of higher wages, nothing having been said to him, however, about the increased cost of living.
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