her infer that it was anaccident. OR, if you really mean to be your own master, you can tell heryou did it purposely and will do it again if she ever tries the trick onyou."
"I tell her that! I tell her! O Mr. Ellery, DON'T talk so. You don'tknow Laviny; she ain't like most women. If I should tell her thatshe'd--I don't know's she wouldn't take and horsewhip me. Or commitsuicide. She's said she would afore now if--if--"
"Nonsense! She won't do that, you needn't worry." He burst into anotherlaugh, but checked himself, as he saw the look of absolute distress onpoor Kyan's face.
"Never mind, Mr. Pepper," he said. "We'll think of some plan to smoothmatters over. I'll go home with you now and we'll let her out together."
"Will you, Mr. Ellery? Will you, honest? Say, by godfreys mighty, I'dget down on my knees and thank you this minute if--if I wa'n't in such ahurry. Come right on; come quick!"
It was a silent procession of two that wended its way out of the pinesand across the fields, by the brook and the pond, where the eveningmists were rising and the frogs chanting their good-night song,through the gathering twilight shades, across the main road and up thelighthouse lane. Kyan, his mind filled with fearful forebodings, wasbusily trying to think of a reasonable excuse for the "accidental"imprisonment of his sister. John Ellery was thinking, also, but histhoughts were not of the Peppers.
The little house was dark and still as they approached it. No welcominglight in the dining-room windows, no open door, no shrill voicedemanding to know where the wandering brother had been "all thiseverlastin' time." Even the hens had gone to roost. Abishai groaned.
"Oh, dear!" he wailed. "I'm scart to death. Where is she? You don'tcal'late she's done it, do ye?"
"Done it? Done what?"
"Done the suicidin'. She said she would if--O Laviny!"
"Hush! Be quiet. She's all right. She's in the room where you left her,of course. She couldn't get out, could she? You've got the key. Comein."
They entered the house. The dining room was dark and quiet. So was thesitting room. The clock ticked, solemn and slow. Kyan clutched at hiscompanion's arm.
"I don't hear her," he whispered. "You don't s'pose she HAS done it?Godfreys mighty!"
The gloom and mystery were having their effect, even on Mr. Ellery'snerves. His answer also was given in a tense whisper, but with someirritation.
"Hush!" he murmured. "Let go of my wrist. You've pinched it black andblue. Which room did you leave her in? Show me at once."
Kyan's trembling knees managed to carry him to the little hall leadingfrom the sitting room toward the ell at the side of the house. This hallwas almost pitch black. The minister felt his guide's chin whisker brushhis ear as the following sentence was literally breathed into it:
"Here--here 'tis," panted Kyan. "Here's the door. I don't hear nothin',do you? Listen!"
They listened. Not a sound, save the dismal tick of the clock in theroom they had left. Ellery knocked on the door.
"Miss Pepper," he said; "Miss Pepper, are you there?"
Kyan caught his breath. No answer.
"Miss Pepper," repeated the minister. "Miss Pepper!"
Silence, absolute. Abishai could stand it no longer. He groaned andcollapsed on his knees.
"She has!" he moaned. "She's done it and there ain't nothin' in therebut her remains. Oh, my soul!"
Ellery, now rather frightened himself, shook him violently.
"Be quiet, you idiot!" he commanded. "We must go in. Give me the key."
After repeated orders and accompanying shakings, Kyan produced a key.The minister snatched it from his trembling fingers, felt for thekeyhole and threw the door open. The little room was almost as dark asthe hall and quite as still. There was a distinct smell of old clothesand camphor.
"A match," demanded Ellery. "Quick!"
"I ain't got none," quavered Mr. Pepper. "They're all in the box in thesettin' room. Oh, my godfreys mighty! What'll I do? What undertaker'll Ihave? Solon Tripp's the reg'lar one, but Laviny and he had a row andshe said she'd come back and ha'nt me if I ever let him touch herrema--Where you goin'? DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!"
The minister was going after a match, and said so. In a moment hereturned with several. One of these he lit. The brimstone sputtered,burned blue and fragrant, then burst into a yellow flame.
The little room was empty.
John Ellery drew a breath of relief. Then he laughed.
"Humph!" he exclaimed. "She's gone."
"GONE? Why, she ain't nuther! Where could she go?"
"I don't know, but she has gone--somewhere. At any rate, she's nothere."
Kyan rose to his feet. His alarm had changed to paralyzed astonishment.
"How could she go?" he repeated. "That window won't open more'n sixinches. Laviny ain't what you'd call fleshy, but she never could squeezethrough that in this world. And I locked the door, 'cause I heard theclick. I--I--I--do you b'lieve in spirits, Mr. Ellery?"
"Nonsense! Come into the sitting room, light a lamp, and let's talk itover."
The lamp was found and lighted at last. Its radiance brightened thedingy sitting room.
"Do you b'lieve in spirits?" repeated Kyan. "I've heard yarns aboutfolks bein' spirited away, but I never took much stock in 'em. And,"he added with conviction, "'twould take a pretty husky spirit to handleLaviny if she had her mad up. She--Hush! hear that!"
The sound of wheels was heard in the lane by the front gate. A vehiclestopped. Then some one called a hurried good night. Mr. Pepper's fearreturned.
"It's her!" he cried. "She's been ahuntin' for me. NOW I'll get it!You stand by me, Mr. Ellery. You got to. You said you would. But how onearth did she get--"
The minister motioned him to silence.
"I'll stand by you," he whispered. "Don't speak. Leave it to me."
A step sounded on the back step. The dining-room door was hurriedlythrown open.
"'Bishy," called Miss Pepper eagerly. "'Bish, where are you?"
"Here--here I be, Laviny," faltered Kyan.
His sister appeared on the threshold. She was dressed in her Sundaybest, flowered poke bonnet, mitts, imitation India shawl, rustling blackbombazine gown. She looked at Mr. Pepper then at the minister.
"O Mr. Ellery!" she exclaimed, "be you here?"
The Reverend John admitted his presence. Miss Pepper's demeanorsurprised him. She did not seem angry; indeed, she acted embarrassed andconfused, as if she, and not her brother, were the guilty party.
"I'm afraid I'm awful late, 'Bishy," she said. "Have you had yoursupper?"
Kyan was too perturbed to venture a reply. The sword above his head wasquivering on its single hair and he was preparing to dodge the fall. Butit did not fall.
"You haven't had any supper, have you?" purred Miss Pepper pityingly."It's too bad. You poor thing! you must be awful hungry."
She moved across the room and kissed him. Abishai, who had preparedhimself for a different sort of greeting, clutched his chair with bothhands. He looked as if he might faint. The minister gazed open-mouthed.
"I'm awful sorry, Mr. Ellery," gushed Lavinia, removing the bonnet. "Yousee, I was invited out to ride this afternoon and--and--I went."
She glanced at her brother, reddened--yes, almost blushed--andcontinued.
"You know, 'Bishy," she said "Thankful Payne's cousin's home avisitin'her. He come about that cousin's will--the other cousin that's justdied. He's a reel nice man--her live cousin is--keeps a shoe store upto Sandwich, and I used to know him years ago. When I was over toThankful's t'other day, him and me had quite a talk. We got speakin' ofwhat nice drives there was around Trumet and--and--er--well, he asked meif 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 would. Thankfulwas goin', too, but--er--er--she couldn't very well. So Caleb--that'shis name, you remember, 'Bishy--he come round with his horse and teamabout ha'f past three and we started. But I'd no IDEE 'twas so late.I--I--meant to tell you I was goin', 'Bish, but I forgot."
; Kyan had listened to this recital, or explanation, or apology, with acurious succession of expressions passing over his face. He swallowedtwo or three times, but did not interrupt.
"I'm so sorry I kept
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