To her
neighbors, however, and even to her own men, she said nothing.
The only man in the village to whom she had spoken regarding the
new work was the clerk of the board, and then only casually as to
the exact time when the bids would be received.
The day before the eventful night when the proposals were to be
opened, Mr. Crane, in his buggy, stopped at her house on his way
back from the fort, and they drove together to the ferry. When
she returned she called Pop into the kitchen, shut the door, and
showed him the bid duly signed and a slip of pink paper. This was
a check of Crane & Co.'s to be deposited with the bid. Then she
went down to the stable and had a long conference with Cully.
The village Board of Trustees consisted of nine men, representing
a fair average of the intelligence and honesty of the people. The
president was a reputable hardware merchant, a very good citizen,
who kept a store largely patronized by local contractors. The
other members were two lawyers,--young men working up in practice
with the assistance of a political pull,--a veterinary surgeon,
and five gentlemen of leisure, whose only visible means of support
were derived from pool-rooms and ward meetings. Every man on the
board, except the surgeon and the president, had some particular
axe to grind.
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