Keziah Coffin

ohn Ellery was provokingly calm. As a matter of fact he scarcely grasped the purport of the little man's disjointed story. He ha

e repeated. "Why-er-I

as sta

s, for the land sakes? Didn't you tell me to lock her

e had raised his voice to a yell. The minister s

e. Let me understand this thing. Some one

er. Then I grabbed the key and run. That was afore three this afternoon; now it's 'most night and I ain't dast to go home. What'll she sa

attack was once

ugh-Why, yes, I may have said something or other, as a joke, but I didn't expect you would serio

y, my godfreys mighty! Idiotic? Well, who's the idiot? 'Tain't

think. Have yo

And nobody'll never know if

but you might let her infer that it was an accident. OR, if you really mean to be your own maste

he ain't like most women. If I should tell her that she'd-I don't know's she wouldn

burst into another laugh, but checked himself, as he

of some plan to smooth matters over. I'll go h

mighty, I'd get down on my knees and thank you this minute

chanting their good-night song, through the gathering twilight shades, across the main road and up the lighthouse lane. Kyan, his mind filled with fearful forebodings, w

ng-room windows, no open door, no shrill voice demanding to know where the wandering brot

to death. Where is she? You don'

t? Done

n'. She said she

oom where you left her, of course. She couldn't

quiet. So was the sitting room. The clock ticked, s

ered. "You don't s'pose she

ven on Mr. Ellery's nerves. His answer also was g

You've pinched it black and blue. Which ro

oward the ell at the side of the house. This hall was almost pitch black. The minister felt hi

. "Here's the door. I don't h

ismal tick of the clock in the room th

said; "Miss Pepp

his breath

peated the minist

ld stand it no longer. He groa

it and there ain't nothin' in th

frightened himself,

he commanded. "We must

rom his trembling fingers, felt for the keyhole and threw the door open. The little room was alm

emanded Elle

y! What'll I do? What undertaker'll I have? Solon Tripp's the reg'lar one, but Laviny and he had a row and

e returned with several. One of these he lit. The brimstone sput

le room

a breath of relie

exclaimed. "

ain't nuther! Wh

as gone-somewhere. At an

His alarm had changed t

t what you'd call fleshy, but she never could squeeze through that in this world. And I

sitting room, light a lam

d at last. Its radiance brigh

ed away, but I never took much stock in 'em. And," he added with conviction, "'twould

ront gate. A vehicle stopped. Then some one called

W I'll get it! You stand by me, Mr. Ellery. You got t

motioned hi

he whispered. "Don't

step. The dining-room doo

s Pepper eagerly. "'

be, Laviny,"

best, flowered poke bonnet, mitts, imitation India shawl, rustling

she exclaimed,

prised him. She did not seem angry; indeed, she acted embarrassed a

te, 'Bishy," she said. "

above his head was quivering on its single hair and h

rred Miss Pepper pityingly. "It's too bad.

mself for a different sort of greeting, clutched his chair with both h

, removing the bonnet. "You see, I was invite

her, reddened-yes, almo

Thankful's t'other day, him and me had quite a talk. We got speakin' of what nice drives there was around Trumet and-and-er-well, he asked me if I wouldn't like to go to ride next Sunday afternoon-that's to-day. And a ride bein' a good deal of a treat to me, I said I woul

y, with a curious succession of expressions passing over his

et you a good one now. Oh, well, deary me! I must be gettin' abse

toward his promised backer. Eller

th me for some time, Miss

say, 'Bishy! I ain't told you how nigh I come to not gettin' out at all. Just afore Mr.

imminent. Kyan's chin shook. He braced himself for t

I could shut the room up when I wanted to. Well, when I was

aid nothin',

the other key in my pocket I don't know's I wouldn't have been in the

shout of laughter. Kyan did not laugh; yet his grip upon the chair relaxed, and over his counten

clared Lavinia. "You'll forgive me f

pper s

lowly. "I'll for

ain't been too lonesome. Did

h a feller and leave me all alone. But I forgive you." He stopped, drew his hand across his forehead, and then added

blushed

ed. "How you do talk! Ain

to speak just then. When he did it was to announce that he

i saw the visitor to the door. Ellery extende

miracles! Godfreys mighty! Say, Mr. Ellery, don't

f cour

't tell on me and I won't tell

opped in the mi

he said,

nd shut the door. John Ellery refle

ad gone on record as prepared to prosecute all disturbers of the peace to the "full extent of the law." One of the leading citizens, his name was Daniels, awoke to find the sleigh, which had been stored in his carriage house, hoisted to the roof of his barn, and a section of his front fence tastefully draped about it like a garland. The widow Rogers noticed groups of people looking up at her house and

one equally long. Old Mrs. Prince, up at the west end of the town, was very anxious concerning her son, whose ship was overdue at Calcutta and had not been heard from. The minister went often to see her and tried to console, but what cons

ppen to seafarin' men. I do. I went to sea with my husband for fourteen year. He died on a voyage and they bur

eeling very young, indeed, and woefully inadequa

d not do. And, regularly, when the solemn meal was eaten, Captain Elkanah went upstairs for his nap and the Reverend John was left alone with Annabel. Miss Daniels did her best to be entertaini

en interrupted in the middle by the guest's sudden rising and reaching for his hat. "I don't see why you

e prompt rep

You know I-that is, pa and

ery kind. But I really must go.

across the fields after you left her

-yes,

and there are SO few people that I find cong

-er-not

Sunday? Of COURSE you will. You know how dread

. I enjoyed the dinner v

m, entered the front hall, went up the stairs, tiptoed by the door of her father's room, and then up another fl

t on the sill of the open window and knelt, the glass at her eye. The floor of the cupola

he top and Captain Mayo's house near it. The main road was deserted save for

op of a thick group of silver-leafs hid the parsonage. Above the tree tops glistened the white steeple of the Regular church. If the minister went straight home she

reached the clump of trees before this, yet she could not see him.

specks across the bay on the Wellmouth bluffs-houses and buildings they were-the water, the shore, the fish weirs, the pine groves. She became

paratory to closing it and going downstairs. As she

n, striding across the meadow land, a half mile beyond the parsonage, and hurrying in the direction of the beach. She saw him cl

e, nor had he taken the short cut. Instead he had walked downtown a l

. More than that, he had gone to considerable trouble to avoid observation. Why had he done it? Had he done the same thi

tures looked sharper yet as she descended the steps to t