CHAPTER IX 

When William Wetherell and Cynthia had reached the last turn in the road in Northcutt's woods, quarter of a mile from Coniston, they met the nasal Mr. Samuel Price driving silently in the other direction. The word "silently" is used deliberately, because to Mr. Price appertained a certain ghostlike quality of flitting, and to Mr. Price's horse and wagon likewise. He drew up for a brief moment when he saw Wetherell. 

"Wouldn't hurry back if I was you, Will." 

"Why not?" 

Mr. Price leaned out of the wagon. 

"Bije has come over from Clovelly to spy around a little mite." 

It was evident from Mr. Price's manner that he regarded the storekeeper as a member of the reform party. 

"What did he say, Daddy?" asked Cynthia, as Wetherell stood staring after the flitting buggy in bewilderment. 

"I haven't the faintest idea, Cynthia," answered her father, and they walked on. 

"Don't you know who 'Bije' is? 

"No," said her father, "and I don't care." 

It was almost criminal ignorance for a man who lived in that part of the country not to know Bijah Bixby of Clovelly, who was paying a little social visit to Coniston that day on his way home from the state capital,--tending, as it were, Jethro's flock. Still, Wetherell must be excused because he was an impractical literary man with troubles of his own. But how shall we chronicle Bijah's rank and precedence in the Jethro army, in which there are neither shoulder-straps nor annual registers? To designate him as the Chamberlain of that hill Rajah, the Honorable Heth Sutton, would not be far out of the way. The Honorable Heth, whom we all know and whom we shall see presently, is the man of substance and of broad acres in Clovelly: Bijah merely owns certain mortgages in that town, but he had created the Honorable Heth (politically) as surely as certain prime ministers we could name have created their sovereigns. The Honorable Heth was Bijah's creation, and a grand creation he was, as no one will doubt when they see him.  QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. Which part of the road did William Wetherell and Cynthia reach?
2. William Wetherell and Cynthia reached which part of the road?
3. 
Q2:
1. Where was the road that William Wetherell and Cynthia reached located?
2. What was the location of the road that William Wetherell and Cynthia reached?
3. 
Q3:
1. Which town is Northcutt's woods a close to?
2. Northcutt's woods is close to what town?
3. 
Q4:
1. How far away from Northcutt's woods is Coniston?
2. What is the distance between Northcutt's woods and Coniston?
3. 
Q5:
1. What are the names of the people that were driving in the opposite direction of Samuel Price?
2. Samuel Price was driving in the opposite direction of which other two people?
3. 
Q6:
1. Who did William Wetherell and Cynthia meet?
2. William Wetherell and Cynthia met which other person?
3. 
Q7:
1. What was Samuel Price doing when William Wetherell and Cynthia met him?
2. What did William Wetherell and Cynthia see Samuel Price doing when they met him?
3. 
Q8:
1. What quality did Samuel Price seem to have when William Wetherell and Cynthia met him?
2. How could one describe Samuel Price's appearance when he met William Wetherell and Cynthia?
3. 
