instead of presenting himself promptly at the spinster's house, he went
first to the office of Judge Parkinson, as became a prudent man of
affairs.

Perhaps there is no need to go into the details of Mr. Price's
discomfiture on the occasion of this interview. The judge was by nature
of a sour disposition, but he haw-hawed so loudly as he explained to Mr.
Price the identity of the road agent that the judge of probate in the
next office thought his colleague had gone mad. Afterward Mr. Price stood
for some time in the entry, where no one could see him, scratching his
head and repeating his favorite exclamation, "I want to know!" It has
been ascertained that he omitted to pay his respects to the spinster on
that day.

Cyamon Johnson carried the story back to Coniston, where it had the
effect of eliminating Mr. Price from local politics for some time to
come.

That same morning Chester Perkins was seen by many driving wildly about
from farm to farm, supposedly haranguing his supporters to make a final
stand against the tyrant, but by noon it was observed by those
naturalists who were watching him that his activity had ceased. Chester
arrived at dinner time at Joe Northcutt's, whose land bordered on the
piece of road which had caused so much trouble, and Joe and half a dozen
others had been at work there all morning under the road agent whom Judge
Parkinson had appointed. Now Mrs. Northcutt was Chester's sister, a woman
who in addition to other qualities possessed the only sense of humor in
the family. She ushered the unsuspecting Chester into the kitchen, and
there, seated beside Joe and sipping a saucer of very hot coffee, was
Jethro Bass himself. Chester halted in the doorway, his face brick-red,