Keziah Coffin

society of three cats, a canary, and a white poodle named "Bunch," in the little house next to Captain Elkana

to be able to see only one's own front fence and a scant ten feet of sidewalk. And then to learn afterwards of a dozen most exciting events, each distinctly out of the ordinary, which might have been used as excuses for two dozen

ptain Elkanah Daniels and Grace's flight, her face dimpled with smiles and breaking into laughter at frequent intervals. For a young lady, supposed to be a devout Come-Outer, to h

opposite direction from that taken by Grace. Nor their return and parting at the gate, two hours later. She did not see-but there! she saw nothing, absolutely nothing-except the scraggy spruce tree in her tiny front yard and the

and the fog bell at the lighthouse clanged miserably. Along the walk opposite Didama's-the more popular side of the road-shadowy figures passed at long intervals, children going to and from

opened

, are you? I begun to think yo

ghed as s

or me to stay. First Kyan and then Cap'n Elkanah, and both of them expressing their wishes to see you alo

eyed he

d at least one smash-up. I don't s'pose Laviny'll ever speak to me again. Oh, dear! I guess likely I'll never ge

As for Grace, it was sometime befo

at shaky chair and holding on to that pipe and-and-O Aunt Kezi

in' it open. And then, on top of the whole f

mpanion looked del

lkanah came and the very first thing he

ggeration. The way you put ou

ean? Is it a secret? Ahem! sha

ryin' to be one. You know 'twa'n't THAT. Though what 'twas was surprise

id! Has the cap'n decid

d be on his charity, and that would be as poor fodder as sawdust hasty puddin', even if I was fond of charity, which I

ou had so much to do and I wanted to help. I told uncle and he said certainly I ought

-nor speak to me again, when he knows what I AM going to do. Grace, I ain't goin' to leave Trumet, not for the

ned, her hat

ied in utter

couldn't be left, and that somebody must be hired right off 'cause the minister's expected by day after to-morrow's coach. And they'd gone over every likely candidate in town till it simmered down to Mehitable Burgess. And Cap'n Zeb Mayo spoke right up in the committee meetin' and gave out that if Mehitable kept house for Mr. Ellery he, for one, wouldn't come to c

e did, and we settled it. I went down to the parsonage with him before dinner and looked the place over. There's an awful lot of sweepin' and dustin' to be done afore it's fit for a body to live in. I did think that when I'd finished with this house I could swear o

was glad; but she looke

s it really settled-your salary and everything? An

n't take it 'tain't his fault. HIS conscience'll be clear. Land sakes! if I could clean house as easy as some folks clear their consciences I wouldn

tended h

ou. I know you didn't want to leave Trumet and I'm sure everyon

s delight won't keep her up nights. But I guess I can stand it if

rl hes

were going to do something else. You are going to live in the Regular parsonage and keep house for, of all persons

ded unders

e with me and understand. I've been happier in Trumet than I ever was anywhere else, though I've seen some dark times here, too. I was born here; my folks used to live here. My brother Sol lived and died here. His death was a heavy trouble to me, but the heaviest came to me when I was somewheres else and-well, somehow I've had a feelin' that, if there was any real joys ever planned out for me

rd a carriage st

o the window and p

e had some trimmin' to buy. Takes more than fog to separate Annabel Daniels from dressmakin'. Well, there's a little more packin' to do; then I thought I'd go down to that parso

, the carpet rolled up, and the last piece of linen

ow those spiders had better put on their ascension robes. The end of the world's comin' for them, even though it missed fire for the Miller

ooked t

nt to be with you as much as I can, and HE isn't t

ness, but he ain't a ninny. Nobody'll see you, anyway. This fog's like charity,

ed "cloud" over her head, and took from a nail a key, atta

't miss his moorin's, I presume likely. The poor old thing was so nearsighted and absent-minded along toward the last that they say he used to hire Noah Myrick's boy t

ith the exception of the Daniels mansion-and descended into the hollow beyond. Here, at the corner where the "Lighthouse Lane" begins its winding way over the rolling knolls and dunes to the light and the fish shanties on the "ocean side," stood the plain, straight-up-and-down meeting house of the

e door, the lock of which Keziah's key fitted. There was a lock on the front door, of course, but no one thought of meddling with that. That door had been op

nto the keyhole of the side

are, if it ain't unlocked already! That's some of Cap'n Elkanah's doin's. For a critter as fussy and particular

lnut chairs set back against the wall at regular intervals; the rag carpet and braided mats-homemade donations from the ladies of the parish-on the green painted floor; the dolorous pictures on the walls; "Death of Washington," "Stoning of Stephen," and a still more deadly "fruit piece" committed in oils years ago by a now deceased boat painter; a black walnut sideboard with some blue-and-white crockery upon it; a gilt-framed mirror with another

t musty if it ain't aired out regular. Mr. Langley died only three months ago, but we've been candidatin' ever since and the candidates have been boarded round. There's been enough o

ned, more light entered the room.

w home now, Aunt Keziah," she o

e so near the headquarters of everything your uncle thinks is w

a lot of cleaning to do. I wish I coul

ah l

ess likely; though the prints don't look hardly big enough for his. Elkanah's convinced that he's a great man and his boots bear him out in it

gloomy with black walnut and fragr

n. Here's the front hall and there's the front stairs. The parlor's off to the left. We won't bother with that y

ugging could get it open, though Grace

amp. Though it's odd, I don't remember-Oh, well! never mind. Let's sweeten up this settin' room a little. Open a window or

a moment or two with a broom a

stub. "More like a shovel, enough sight. Well, there's pretty nigh dust enough for a shovel, so maybe this'll take off the t

ng with a refractory wi

ow," she replied. "I

his sermon was fine; all about those who go down to the sea in ships. That's what got the par

She was resting, prior to maki

I'm sure I don't care. I don'

wn, then. And you spoke of his good looks yourself this

Annabel and Georgianna Lothrop and the rest simpering and gushing and getting in his way: 'O Mr. Ellery, I did so enjoy that sermon of yours Sunday!' and 'O Mr. Ellery, it was

as great

n'. You was willin' enough to talk about him then. Now, Gracie, you mustn't take a spite against poor

't mind me. I told you I was a selfish pig. But don't you ask me to LIKE this precious minister of yours, because I shan't d

other with startled face

ny!" whispered Keziah

So did I. What

e. And yet there can't be anybody in there, because

dle and moved determinedly toward the f

whispered frantically. "Don't

and I'll make that plain in a hurry. Just like as not it's a cat got in wh

, narrow hall and peered into the parlor. This apartment was dim and still

ave been upstairs, but it didn't sou

hen like something falling-and r

ll with a strange expression on her face.

ded the girl in an

n'. That study door isn't stuck from the damp, because-we

rt of this paralyzing fact, Keziah strode down

rnly, "open this door and come out this minut

oice from within made answer, a man's voi

ill be out in another minute.

a smothered shriek. Kez

ike that! What do you mean by-Open that doo

ng, a purely honorary one. Its occupant had just departed for a week's cruise as mate of a mackerel sc

"If you will be patient until I get this-I'm just as anxious

u're so everlastin' anxious, then come out. Patie

dently, the unknown's stock of the virtue

ou insist," snapped the voi

ply ready. She looked at Grace and the latter at her. T

"Hadn't we better leave him here and-He doesn't s

y with a buggy and he offered to help me along. He was on his way to Wellmouth. So I left my trunk to come later and took my valise. It rained on the way and I was wet through. I stopped at Captain Daniels's house and the girl said he had gone with his daughter to the next town, but that they were to stop here at the parsonage on their way. So-there! that'

ness of the tightly shuttered study stepped the owner of the voice, a stranger, a young man, his hair rumpled, his tie disarranged, and the buttons of his waist

ladies," he stammered. "I scarc

. He looked at Keziah, then at Miss Van Horne, and another wave of blushes passed from his collar up into the

vidently not a tramp or a burglar, had caused her some m

mean by makin' a-er-dressin' room of a house that don't belong to you, just because you happened to find the door unlocked. After that you m

ompt enough now. It was evid

as I could, quietly, and when you began to talk"-his expression changed and there was a twitch at the corner of his mouth-"I tried to hurry still faster, hoping you might not hea

"LIVE in it? Why! mercy on us

ing at her with an expression which, as it expressed s

anger. "I am the minister-the new

n Keziah