The Central House, East Harniss’s sole hotel, and a very small one at that, closed its doors on April 10th.  Mr. Godfrey, its proprietor, had come to the country for his health.  He had been inveigled, by an advertisement in a Boston paper, into buying the Central House at East Harniss.  It would afford him, so he reasoned, light employment and a living.  The employment was light enough, but the living was lighter.  He kept the Central House for a year.  Then he gave it up as a bad job and returned to the city.  “I might keep my health if I stayed,” he admitted, in explaining his position to Captain Berry, “but if I want to keep to what little money I have left, I’d better go.  Might as well die of disease as starvation.”

Everyone expected that the “gentleman of the old school” would go also, but one evening Abner Payne, whose business is “real estate, fire and life insurance, justice of the peace, and houses to let and for sale,” rushed into the post office to announce that the Major had leased the “Gorham place,” furnished, and intended to make East Harniss his home.

“He likes the village so well he’s goin’ to stay here always,” explained Abner.  “Says he’s been all ’round the world, but he never see a place he liked so well’s he does East Harniss.  How’s that for high, hey?  And you callin’ it a one-horse town, Obed Gott!”

The Major moved into the “Gorham place” the next morning.  It—­the “place”—­was an old-fashioned house on the hill, though not on Mr. Williams’ “Boulevard.”  It had been one of the finest mansions in town once on a time, but had deteriorated rapidly since old Captain Elijah Gorham died.  Augustus carried the Major’s baggage from the hotel to the house.  This was done very early and none of the natives saw the transfer.  There was some speculation as to how the darky managed to carry the big trunk single-handed; one of two persons asked Augustus this very question, but they received no satisfactory answer.  Augustus was habitually close-mouthed.  Mr. Godfrey left town that same morning on the first train.

The Major christened his new home “Silver-leaf Hall,” because of two great “silver-leaf” trees that stood by the front door.  He had some repairing, paper hanging and painting done, ordered a big stock of groceries from the local dealer, and showed by his every action that his stay in East Harniss was to be a lengthy one.  He hired a pew in the Methodist church, and joined the “club.”  Augustus did the marketing for “Silver-leaf Hall,” and had evidently been promoted to the position of housekeeper.

The Major moved in April.  It was now the third week in June and his popularity was, if possible, more pronounced than ever.  On this particular, the evening of Captain Bailey Stitt’s unexpected arrival, Obed had been sitting by the tea table in his dining room after supper, going over the account books of his paint, paper, and oil store.  His sister, Mrs. Polena Ginn, was washing dishes in the kitchen.