It was a minute or two after I had torn open the eighth envelope before I could make myself heard. This was a prize of one hundred dollars for the largest return from chickens according to capital invested. This went to Guy Holborne, who had invested eighteen dollars for six Plymouth Rocks with a rooster, five dollars in eggs to set and three dollars in miscellaneous expenses. He had sold five dollars’ worth of eggs up to date and had sixty fine pullets worth seventy-five cents a piece ready for the market. He had fed his chickens largely on waste collected from his neighbors. The prize for the largest return from cows according to capital invested went to Ebenezer Blunt, the prize for the largest return from pigs to Arthur Libby and the prize for the most notable improvement in an old orchard was divided between Henderson and Talbot, two of our largest land owners. They followed my example and turned the money back to the Pioneer Club. As the last announcement was made Holt roused the band and they played “America,” everyone standing. The athletic events under Dick’s direction followed and kept the crowd amused until dinner time. During the afternoon the fakirs did a brisk business while the town hall was packed until dark. A goodly number of automobiles loaded with city folks anxious to see an old-fashioned country fair came and went, adding to the general holiday atmosphere. It was late that night before I really had a chance to talk over things with Ruth. “Well,” I said when we were alone, “how did it go?” “Don’t see how it could have gone any better,” she answered. “That was a great move of Holt’s in leading the cheering,” I said. “Fine! Fine!” “Think the decisions left any hard feelings?” “Only the usual per cent., Billy,” she answered, “and they won’t last. I heard most of them talking about what they were going to do next year.” “That’s the stuff,” I said. “You see they had worked out the results pretty well for themselves before the announcement. No; it has been a success--a success from beginning to end.” “And the women?” “There isn’t one who isn’t going to bed to-night tired and happy.” “It isn’t unusual for them to go to bed tired,” I said. She nodded. “But you can be tired in twenty different ways,” she said. “And this is the kind of tired that’s good for them.” CHAPTER XII NEW VENTURES