most likely, it didn’t mean anything at all.But at the end of two weeks a thing happened that meant somethin’. I got two letters in the mail, one in a big, long envelope postmarked from the Post-Office Department at Washington and the other a letter from Shelton himself. I don’t suppose I’ll ever forget that letter to my dyin’ day. 

"Dear Captain Snow," it begun. "You may be interested to know that our mutual friend, Major Clark, has suffered no ill effects from our picnic at the beach. In fact, he is better than he ever was and has been enjoying the comforts of city life to an extent which I should not dare attempt. Whether his long respite from such comforts helped, or whether the celebrated Doctor Conquest was responsible, I know not. The Major, however, declares Doctor Payne to be a fraud and to have been, as he says, ’working him for a sucker.’ Therefore he has discharged the doctor and discharged the cousin with the odd name—your fellow townsman, Abubus Payne. The mishap with the auto was the beginning of Abubus’s finish and the fact that no indigestion followed our chowder party completed it. And also—which may interest you still more—Major Clark has withdrawn his support of Payne’s candidacy for the post-office and urged the appointment of another person, one whom he declares to be the only able, common-sense, honest _man_ in the village. As I have long felt the appointment of a compromise candidate to be the sole solution of the problem, I was very happy to agree with him, particularly as I thoroughly approve of his choice. When you learn the new postmaster’s name I trust you may agree with us both. I know the citizens of Ostable will do so. Yours sincerely, "_William A. Shelton._ "P.S. I am coming down next summer and shall expect another one of your chowders."

My hands shook as I ripped open the other envelope. I knew what was comin’—somethin’ inside me warned me what to expect. And there it was. Me—_me_—Zebulon Snow, was app’inted postmaster of Ostable! Was I mad? I was crazy! I fairly hopped up and down. What in thunder did I want of the postmastership? And if I wanted it ever so much did they think I was a traitor? Was it likely that I’d take it, after workin’ tooth and nail for Mary Blaisdell? What would Mary say to me? By time, _I’d_ show ’em! It should go back that minute and my free and frank opinion with it. I’d kicked one chair to pieces already, and was beginnin’ on another, when Jim Henry Jacobs come runnin’ in and stopped me.

No use to goin’ into particulars of the argument we had. It lasted till after one o’clock next mornin’. Jim Henry argued and coaxed and proved and I ripped and 

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