Keziah Coffin

ermined should be on the Peppers. Lavinia and her brother had called at the Parsonage several times, but as yet he

iality" and "only stoppin' in where they had fancy curtains up to the windows." So, as it

en, and its little fenced-in front yard dotted thickly with clumps of silver-leaf saplings. A sign, nailed crookedly on a post, informed those seeking such information that with

ayo's pointed comment, "I want my shoe leather to wear while I'm alive, not to be laid out in after I die of old age," expressed the general feeling of the village and explained why custom had left Mr. Pepper and flown to the more enterprising

s that were taking a sun bath on the clam-shell walk, and knocked at the front door. No one coming in answer to the knock, he tried again. Then he discovered a rust

t another try, so he clenched his fist and gave the cracked door panel a series of tremendous thumps. A thin black cat, which had evidently been aslee

oever you be, don't bust tha

e corner of the buildin

ou answer? Be you comin'? If y

r," was the minis

All right. Co

o far as he could see every door and window was closed and there were no signs of life. Ho

!" protested the voice. "Come ro

adly. But even on "t'other side" there was no

lery! How d'ye do? Glad to see you, Mr. Ellery

tom, the shade was up, and peering beneath the sash the minister discerned the expressive featur

Mr. Pepper? Well, I'm glad to see you, at l

barrassed. He stamm

ouldn't wonder if I be. H

nk you. I

e to call,

that was my

cousin up to Middleboro had died-passed away, I mean-and she thought she'd run over

won't be gone long, perha

ner when a shout from beneath the

Ellery! don't go to that door

you can unlock

. Ellery, come back here, won't y

ed yards away, the likelihood of being overheard was

"I-I'd like to have you come in fust

was sur

!" he ex

got it. She to

doors. She didn't tak

fact is, Mr. Ellery

ked

r. Ellery, she's locked me in this room a-purpose, so's

ha

e. Did you ever hear of anythi

d indignation in which Mr. Pepper told of his imprisonment was funn

lace to shut herself up in if one of em come. And-and after dinner to-day she sent me in here for somethin' and then slammed the door on me. Said she cal'lated I'd stay put till she got back from Thankful's. She knew

concerning this odd household, some of which seemed too absurd for beli

is it, Mr. Eller

"I-I-it is rather unusual, that's a

y that-you see, a month or so ago I-I-well, she thought I done somethin', or was pl

could Mrs. Coffin

rned old-excuse my swearin', I didn't mean to, though I got reason enough, land knows-bein' shut up in a room full of trunks and o

family matters, Mr. Pepper. Perhaps I'd be

e a minister and I go to your meetin' house. Tell m

laughed

, "I suppose

uldn't! What

you must decide for yourself. I think I should

are more things in a minute than I can think of in a week. Tongue! I never heard-No, no! Never mind the declarin'. What w

he visitor. He roared a "Ha, ha!" that caused

id that I wouldn't dast to show my head. Can't show much of it, anyhow, just

fascinating, Mr. Pepper. If your sister is so very fearful of your m

minister. But I'm goin' to go out when I want to if I bust a hole through the clapboards. I

ure. You might lock HER up,

ught of that. Would you now, Mr. Ellery? Would you? Sshh! sshh! somebody's comin'. Maybe it's her. Run around to

herself as very glad to see the caller, ushered him into the sitting room and disappeared, returning in another moment with her brother, w

as over, Miss Pepper escorted her guest to the door and bade him a voluble good-by. Over her shoulder the minister saw Ky

there was, apparently, nothing to laugh at. He explained these outbursts by saying that he had thought of som

d to be; but what I've heard of yours ain't that kind. I wish you'd let me

ng. The minister's clothes were mended and his socks darned as they had not been since his mother's day. And with him, at meal times, or after supper in the sitting room

thing had gone wrong. "I'm all right. Got a l

did not press the matter. He believed the "cold" to be but an excuse and wondered what the

t there might be a sequel, put the whole ludicrous affair out of his mind. He worked hard in his study and at hi

shing and affable that the minister felt rather embarrassed. When, after the meal was over, Captain Elkanah excused himself and went upstairs for his Sabbath nap, the embarrassment redoubled. Miss Annabel

ouble at all, and if you say no, I shall feel that it is becau

solutely. He did not like Miss Daniels overmuch, but she was the daughter of his leading parishio

But the afternoon was so fine and the early summer air so delightful that he changed his mind and, jump

glimpses of the flats, now partially covered, and they reminded him of his narrow escape and of Nat Hammond, his rescuer. He had met the captain twice since then, once at the store and again on the main road, and had chatted with him.

rain that night. And the picture in the doorway was not one that he could forget-or wanted to. If she were not a Come-Outer, he could meet her occasionally and they might bec

the sunset. She wore a simple white dress and her hat hung upon her shoulders by its ribbons. The rosy light edged

at her. Then a crow, one of several whirling above the pines, spied the intruder and screamed a warning. The

cried. "

rged from

, Miss Van Horne," h

ant nor original; even as an iden

the girl. "W

ster cam

Horne," he stammered. "I'm

queer expression, almost as if

gan again. She

d when I saw you there behind me. It seemed so odd, because I was just thi

how even such a perfunctory act of friendliness might be rec

question. He would have liked to ask what she had bee

hurriedly, as if to head off a question. "So did I

tood in the middle of "Hammond's Turn-off" in the driving rain. He remem

"I'm glad you didn't get cold f

let me lend you the umbrella, so I ha

Hammond-met you out on the flats. He said you were

cross it I should have had to swim and, if what I've heard since is true, I dou

uising without a pilot and he towed you i

It might have been my last cruise. I'm pre

t him uncomp

fe?" she

was exactly where two men have been drowned, so people say

d out in a

oward the bay, she asked: "Out there

that w

breath. Then,

s if it was all

he generally refers to his own plucky, capable actio

eader," with the pine bough tied at its landward end to mark the e

r-" went on

" she interrupted abs

she uttered th

ur real brother; I forgot.

ather do

be proud

as nothing doub

rom drowning. I'm al

so

mean it. He

aid drily. "I'm r

ren't drowned, but I'm especially glad that-that one of our famil

r belie

ook he

y. "You've heard nothing good of us since

assur

aniels, or his daughter, say anyth

d. And, Miss Van Horne, perhaps the prejudice isn't all on one side.

father was drowned he took me in, a little orphan that would probably have been sent to a home, and no father could be kinder or more indulgent than he has been. Anything I asked for I got, and at last I learned not to ask for too much. No self-den

s arch enemy. It was given with spirit and the girl's head was uplifted and her eyes flashed as

to school?" he mus

d 'be you' and 'hain't neither.' Yes, thank you,

ng man

me," he protested

e you expected me to speak like Josiah Badger or Kyan Pepper. I try not to.

the "immejitly" qu

on say that," he observed.

glad I have had the opportunity to tell you more about Uncle Eben. I owe him so much that I ought to be glad-yes, glad and proud and happy, too, to gratify his least wish. I must! I know I must, no matt

had something to say. He stepp

rstand. I do respect your uncle. We have a mutual friend, you

ed and loo

she repeated. "Oh!

She's a good woma

r! Do you li

ed, I

u about me-about

y, she t

er had helped him, of her advice, of her many acts of kindness, of what he owed to her. The girl listened eagerly, asking questions, nodding confirmation, and, in her delight at hearing Keziah praised, quite forg

ss Van Horne, "

start. He realized that his sente

know what I should have done without Mrs. Coffin. She's a treas

o me. I love her more than anyone else in the world, except

I hate to think I am the cause which separa

know

ho, because of a fanatical prejudice, stand in the way of-If it wasn't

d of the bluff, beyond the fringe of pines, and we

t, you would come," a

ah more than you can imagine-now especially. But, somehow, what we want t

ion on her face was the same sad, grave one he had no

you come?"

course. You k

ectionable I can go away when

n't dislike yo

lly glad

nd is fond of Aunt Keziah, but he woul

as I should him if it weren't for Mrs. Coffin-and what you've said. Don't you think if

listen. And think of

my congr

Mr. El

amazement; then her

Ellery!" s

ry red and drew his ha

I have the right to exercise a man's discretion. My parish committe

rward, caught her about the waist, and pulled her back. The sod broke and rattled down the sandy slope. She would have had a s

le for a moment,

st go. It is late. I didn't real

nswer, thoug

king at random. "Good afternoon. Good

er was unstudied but emphatic

to see Mrs. Cof

't. Good-by. The sunset

iful,

nt are the finest I have ever seen. I com

to cover embarrassment, but

ment he was alone. Grace Van Horne had va

was gone, and here was an absent-minded young fellow who stumbled blindly along, tripping over roots and dead limbs, and caring nothing, apparently, for the damage to his Sunday boots and trousers which might result from the stumbles. He saw nothing

" he gasped. "Are you

s waitin' to get a chance at you? Ain't I been chasin' you from Dan to

at's the

your fault. You got me into the

in a tone of humble respect far different from his pre

epper?" he demanded. "Behav

ed me up, you told me the way to get square was to lock her up, too. And I done it! Yes, sir, I done it when she got back from meetin