Strout leaned over and whispered in Abner’s ear, “That was a put-up job.  I’ll get even with Hiram Maxwell before I get through.”

The game continued until all the men had been called in.  With the exception of Emmanuel Howe, none of them were able to guess who it was.  When Emmanuel took his place by the side of ’Zekiel he confided the fact to him that he guessed it was Miss Putnam on account of the perfumery which he had noticed before he left the house with her.

After this game others followed in quick succession.  There were “Pillow,” “Roll the Cover,” “Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button?” “Copenhagen,” and finally “Post Office.”  From all of these games Alice begged to be excused.  She told the Professor that she was not bashful nor diffident, but that her eyesight was so poor that she knew she would detract from the pleasure of the others if she engaged in the games.  The Professor demurred at first, but said finally that her excuse was a good one.  Then he turned to Abner and remarked that he supposed Mr. Sawyer would ask to be excused next ’cause his girl wasn’t going to play.

But Quincy had no such intention.  After leading Alice to a seat beside Mrs. Mason, he returned to the company and took part in every game, entering with spirit and vivacity into each of them.  He invented some forfeits that one girl objected to the forfeit exacted of her as being all out of proportion to her offence, the matter was referred to Quincy.  He said that he would remit the original forfeit and she could kiss him instead.  But she objected, saying that forfeit was worse than the other one.  This pleased Strout greatly, and he remarked to Abner, who kept as close to him as the tail to a kite, that there was one girl in town who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.

The game of Post Office was the most trying one to Quincy.  Of his own free will he would not have called either Huldy or Lindy, but Strout and Abner and all the rest of them had letters for both of these young ladies.  He was afraid that his failure to call them out might lead to remark, as he knew that Strout and Abner and Robert Wood were watching his actions closely.  So, near the middle of the game, when he had been called out, he had a letter from England for Miss Lindy Putnam.

As she raised her face to his for the kiss on the cheek that he gave her, she said, “I was afraid you had not forgiven me, after all.”

“Oh, yes, I have,” said Quincy, and carried away by the excitement of the occasion, he caught her again in his arms and gave her another kiss, this time upon the lips.

At this instant Abner Stiles, who was tending door, opened it and called out, “Takes a long time to pay the postage on one letter!”

A little later Quincy was again called out, and this time he had a letter from Boston for Miss Mason.  He kissed her on the cheek, as he had done with Lindy.  Huldy looked up with a laugh and said, “Were you as bashful as that with Miss Putnam?”