visitor, whoever heor she might be. She was glad of the shadows, they prevented her facefrom being seen too plainly.
"Good afternoon," she said, opening the door. "Oh! it's you, is it?"
"Yes," admitted Abishai Pepper, standing on the stone step, and shiftinguneasily from one foot to the other. "Yes, Keziah, it's--it's me, thankyou."
"Don't mention it. Well, is Laviny with you?"
"No--o, she ain't. She--she didn't come."
"Hum! Did she know you was comin'?"
"No--o, I don't cal'late she did."
"I see. Well, what do you want?"
Mrs. Coffin's welcome was not too cordial. She had laughed many timesover Abishai's proposal of marriage, but she had never quite forgivenhim for making her ridiculous on that occasion. Incidentally, she didnot feel like laughing.
"What do you want?" she repeated.
Kyan was plainly nervous.
"I only wanted to see Mr. Ellery," he announced. "It's all right,Keziah. You needn't be afraid."
"Afraid! What on earth should I be afraid of?"
"Why--why, I didn't know but you might be afraid I was goin' to--to talkabout what we talked about when I--I talked to you that day up at--"
"There! that'll do. It ain't me that would have reason to be afraid ifTHAT was what you come for. What do you want? Don't stand there dancin'a jig."
"I only wanted to see Mr. Ellery."
"He's out. Good day."
"But I won't keep him but a minute."
"He's out, I tell you. Do you want to leave a message?"
"No--o. No, I guess not."
"Was it important?"
"Oh! I don't know. Kind of, maybe. I wanted to ask his advice aboutsomethin'. It's a secret. Only him and me know about it. Good-by."
"Shall I tell him you'll call again? Or ask him to come up to yourhouse?"
Mr. Pepper, who had started to go, now hurried back to the steps.
"No, no," he protested, in alarm. "Don't you tell him that. I wouldn'thave him come there for no money. Why, Laviny, she--"
"Oh, Laviny isn't in the secret, then?" Keziah smiled in spite ofherself.
"Not exactly. That is, not much. Don't you tell her I come here, willyou? I'll find Mr. Ellery. I know where he is."
"I wouldn't go to the Danielses', if I was you. Elkanah might not liketo have you chasin' after his visitors."
"Oh, the minister ain't at the Danielses', not as late's this, he ain't.I know where he is."
"You do?" The housekeeper looked at him keenly.
"Yes, sir, I do. I know where he goes Sunday afternoons--and why hegoes, too. Mr. Ellery and me's good friends. We understand each other."
"Look here, Kyan Pepper! What are you talkin' about?"
"Nothin', nothin'. Good day."
"Stop! Stand still! Come in the house here. I want you to."
"No, no, Keziah. Really, I'd love to, but I can't stop."
"Come in, I tell you."
Reluctantly, but lacking the strength of mind to refuse, Mr. Pepperentered the dining room. Then Mrs. Coffin turned upon him.
"What do you mean," she demanded, "by throwin' out hints that theminister and you are in some sort of secret? How dare you go roundtellin' people such yarns as that?"
"They ain't yarns. And I never told nobody afore, anyhow. I got to movealong. I'll--"
"Stay where you are. I guess I'll run right up and ask your sister aboutthis. Perhaps she might--"
"Ss-sh! ss-sh! don't talk that way, Keziah. Don't! Laviny don't knowwhat I mean. Don't go askin' HER things."
"But you said--"
"I just said I knew where Mr. Ellery goes every Sunday afternoon. Hedon't know anybody knows, but I do. That's all there is to it. I shan'ttell. So--"
"Tell? Do you mean there's somethin' Mr. Ellery wouldn't want told?Don't you dare--I WILL see Laviny!"
"No, no, no, no! 'Tain't nothin' much. I just know where he goes afterhe leaves Elkanah's and who he goes to meet. I--Lordy! I hadn't ought tosaid that! I--Keziah Coffin, don't you ever tell I told you. I've saidmore'n I meant to. If it comes out there'd be the biggest row in thechurch that ever was. And I'd be responsible! I would! I'd have to goon the witness stand and then Laviny'd find out how I--Oh, oh, oh! whatSHALL I do?"
The poor frightened creature's "jig" had, by this time, become adistracted fandango. But the housekeeper had no mercy on him. She wasbeginning to fear for her parson and, for the time, everything else, herown trouble and the recent interview with Nat, was pushed aside.
"What is it?" she persisted. "WHAT would bring on the row in the church?WHO does Mr. Ellery meet? Out with it! What do you mean?"
"I mean that the minister meets that Van Horne girl every Sundayafternoon after he leaves Elkanah's. There, now! It's out, and I don'tgive a darn if they hang me for it."
Keziah turned white. She seized Mr. Pepper by the lapel of his Sundaycoat and shook him.
"Grace Van Horne!" she cried. "Mr. Ellery meets Grace Van Horne onSunday afternoons? Where?"
"Down in them pines back of Peters's pastur', on the aidge of thebank over the beach. He's met her there every Sunday for the last sixweeks--longer, for what I know. I've watched 'em."
"You HAVE? YOU have! You've dared to spy on--I think you're lyin' to me.I don't believe it."
"I ain't lyin'! It's so. I'll bet you anything they're there now,walkin' up and down and talkin'. What would I want to lie for? You comewith me this minute and I'll show 'em to you."
In the desire to prove his veracity he was on his way to the door. ButKeziah stepped in front of him.
"'Bish Pepper," she said slowly and fiercely, shaking a forefinger inhis face, "you go straight home and stay there. Don't you breathe a wordto a livin' soul of what you say you've seen. Don't you even think it,or--or dream it. If you do I'll--I'll march straight to Laviny and tellher that you asked me to marry you. I will, as sure as you're shakin' infront of me this minute. Now you swear to me to keep still. Swear!"
"How--HOW'll I swear?" begged Kyan. "What do you say when you swear?I'll say it, Keziah! I'll say anything! I'll--"
"All right. Then mind you remember. Now clear out quick. I want tothink. I MUST think. GO! Get out of my sight!"
Kyan went, glad to escape, but frightened to the soul of him. Keziahwatched him until he turned from the main road into the lighthouse lane.Then, certain that he really was going straight home, she re-enteredthe parsonage and sat down in the nearest chair. For ten minutes she satthere, striving to grasp the situation. Then she rose and, putting onher bonnet and shawl, locked the dining-room door, and went out throughthe kitchen. On the step she looked cautiously back to see if any of theneighbors were at their windows. But this was Sunday, the one day whenTrumet people sat in their front parlors. The coast was clear. Shehurried through the back yard, and down the path leading across thefields. She was going to the pine grove by the shore, going to find outfor herself if Kyan's astonishing story was true.
For if it was true, if the Rev. John Ellery was meeting clandestinelythe adopted daughter of Eben Hammond, it meant--what might it not mean,in Trumet? If he had fallen in love with a Come-Outer, with Grace VanHorne of all people, if he should dare think of marrying her, it wouldmean the utter wreck of his career as a Regular clergyman. His ownsociety would turn him out instantly. All sorts of things would be said,lies and scandal would be invented and believed. His character would beriddled by the Trumet gossips and the papers would publish the resultbroadcast.
And Grace! If she loved a Regular minister, what would happen to her?Captain Eben would turn her from his door, that was certain. Althoughhe idolized the girl, Keziah knew that he would never countenance sucha marriage. And if Nat stood by Grace, as he would be almost sure to do,the breach between father and son would widen beyond healing. If it weremerely a matter of personal selection, Mrs. Coffin would rather haveseen her parson marry Grace than anyone else on earth. As it was, sucha match must not be. It meant ruin for both. She must prevent the affairgoing further. She mus
t break off the intimacy. She must save those twoyoung people from making a mistake which would--She wrung her hands asshe thought of it. Of her own sorrow and trouble she characteristicallythought nothing now.
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