It was to be an unusually large one.

People were coming from all the towns roundabout.

Burr Gordon had been one of the ringleaders of the enterprise.

All day long he worked over the preparations, dragging out evergreen garlands from under the snow in the woods, cutting hemlock boughs, and trimming the ball-room in the tavern.

Towards night he heard a piece of news which threatened to bring everything to a standstill.