’Zekiel entered the room and took a seat opposite to Quincy.  He bent forward and placed his hands upon his knees.

“Mr. Sawyer,” said he, “I am a man of few words, so I will come right to the point.  Huldy Mason and me are engaged to be married.”

Quincy was equal to the occasion.  He arose, stepped forward, and extended his hand.  ’Zekiel rose also and grasped it unhesitatingly.  Quincy said, “Accept my most sincere congratulations, Mr. Pettengill.  I have known Miss Mason but a short time, but any man ought to be proud of her and happy in her love.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sawyer,” said ’Zekiel; “I agree with you in both the particulars you’ve mentioned, but both of us have what we consider good reasons for not having our engagement known in the village just at present, and to keep it a secret we need the assistance of a mutual friend.”

“If I might aspire to that honor,” said Quincy, “my time and services are at your disposal.”

“That’s what I told Huldy,” said ’Zekiel, “but she was afraid that you would be vexed at what the gossips said about you and her; she’s mad as a hornet herself, and she wants to teach them a lesson.”

“Personally,” said Quincy, “I don’t care what the gossips say, but I was both sorry and indignant that they should have referred to Miss Mason in the way they did.”

“Well,” said ’Zekiel, “we have hatched up a sort of a plot, and if you will help us, all three of us will have some fun out of it.”

“Well,” inquired Quincy, “what’s my share in the fun?”

“It’s this,” said ’Zekiel, “you know you used to take Huldy out to ride with you.  To help out our plan, would you be willing to do it again?”

“Certainly,” replied Quincy.  “Miss Mason has been confined to her room so long I think she ought to have some fresh air.”

“That’s true,” remarked ’Zekiel; “she’s lost considerable flesh staying in so long; but if I took her out to ride they would jump at conclusions right off and say Huldy and ’Zekiel have made up, and they will guess we are going to make a match of it.  Then, again,” ’Zekiel continued, “Huldy says she’s bound to have it out with the one that started the stories.  There’s no use mincing matters between us, because you know as well as I do who is at the bottom of all this tittle-tattle.  Since I refused to join hands with him to try and drive you out of town, he has talked about me almost as bad as he has about you.  ‘So,’ says Huldy to me, ’you know he is the only teacher of music in Eastborough.  I want to take music lessons very much, and so I have got to have him for teacher.’  Then she said, ’’Zekiel, you leave the rest of it to me, and we will all have some fun before we get through.’  I expect she is going to flirt with him, for it comes as nat’ral to her as it does to most women.”

Quincy did not think it polite to assent to this last remark and changed the subject by remarking, “This is a beautiful day.  I am going to drive the nurse over to Eastborough; perhaps Miss Mason would like to accompany us.  That is, if you can trust her with me.”