explanation;let's come right out with the announcement that they're engaged."
"Whew! that'll stir things up."
"You bet! But let it stir. I like that parson of yours; he's a trump.And I always liked her, although, generally speaking, I don't loveCome-Outers. And I like her more than ever now, when she risked what shethought was smallpox to care for him. As I said, she saved his life, andshe ought to have him. She SHALL have him."
"But she's a Come-Outer and--there's the church."
"Well, I know it. But he never was so popular as he is now. And sheisn't by any means a steady-going Come-Outer. Why, Zeke Bassett andthe rest have been finding fault with her and calling her a backslider.That'll help. Then you trust me to whoop up her heroism and the factthat without her he would have died. We can do it, Keziah. Come on! I'vetackled a good many jobs, but matchmaking isn't one of 'em. Here goes totackle that."
Keziah was delighted; here was work after her own heart. But she stillhesitated.
"Doctor," she said, "you've forgot one thing, that's Gracie herself.Would she marry him now, knowing it may mean the loss of his ministryand all, any more than she would at first? I don't believe it."
"That's your part, Keziah. You've got to show her she MUST marry him orhe'll die; see? Call on me to back you up in any fairy yarn you spin.You prove to her it's her duty to marry him. You'll have to stay, hereand help nurse, of course, and that's easy because his disease isn'tcontagious. You convince her and I'll take care of the congregation.He'll live to be minister here for the rest of his life, if he wants to,and she'll be a minister's wife and sit in the front pew. I'll guaranteethe church if you'll guarantee the girl. Why, it's your duty! Come, now,what do you say?"
Keziah's hesitation was at an end. Her face lit up.
"I say good!" she cried. "And I'll be thankful to you all the rest ofmy life. But for the dear mercy sakes, don't say 'duty' to me again. Oh,doctor, if you only knew what it means to me to be fightin' at last forsomethin' that ain't just duty, but what I really want! I do honestlybelieve we can win. Glory, hallelujah! And now I want to give you apiece of advice, your course for the first leg, as you might say: yousee Cap'n Zebedee Mayo."
"Humph! Cap'n Zeb is the first man I mean to see."
Captain Zeb listened with his mouth and eyes and ears open. Mrs. Mayowas with him when the doctor called, and she, too, listened.
"Well!" exclaimed the captain, when the plea for support was ended."Well, by the flukes of Jonah's whale! Talk about surprises! Old lady,what do you say?"
"I say go ahead, Zebedee. Go ahead! If Mr. Ellery wanted to marryJezebel's sister, and I knew he really wanted to, I'd--I do believe I'dhelp him get her. And Grace Van Horne is a good girl. Go ahead."
"Of course," put in Parker, profiting by a hint of Mrs. Coffin's,"of course Daniels will fight tooth and nail against us. He'll be fordischarging Ellery at once. And he really runs the parish committee."
"He does, hey? Well, I cal'late he don't. Not if I'm on deck, he don't.All right, doctor, I'm with you. He, he, he!" he chuckled. "Say, doc, doyou know I sort of love a good lively row. That's been the only troublewith our society sence Mr. Ellery took command of it--there ain't beenany rows. He, he, he! Well, there'll be one now."
There was, and it was lively enough to suit even Captain Zeb. Dr.Parker, on his calls that day, was assailed with a multitude ofquestions concerning Grace's presence at the shanty. He answered themcheerfully, dilating upon the girl's bravery, her good sense, and thefact that she had saved Mr. Ellery's life. Then he confided, as a strictsecret, the fact that the two were engaged. Before his hearers hadrecovered from the shock of this explosion, he was justifying theengagement. Why shouldn't they marry if they wanted to? It was a freecountry. The girl wasn't a Come-Outer any longer, and, besides--and thiscarried weight in a good many households--what a black eye the marriagewould be for that no-account crowd at the chapel.
Captain Zebedee, having shipped with the insurgents, worked for themfrom sunrise to sunset and after. Zeb was something of a politician andknew whom to "get at." He sought his fellows on the parish committee andlabored with them. Mrs. Mayo and the doctor's wife championed the causeat sewing circle. They were lively, those sewing meetings, and the furflew. Didama Rogers and Lavinia Pepper were everywhere and ready toagree with whichever side seemed likely to win. Lavinia was so deeplyinterested that she forgot to catechise Abishai further about hisuntimely reference to Peters's grove. And Kyan, puzzled but thankful,kept silence.
It was by no means a one-sided struggle. Captain Elkanah, spurred on bythe furious Annabel, marshaled his forces and proclaimed that Ellery,having disgraced the Regular Society, should no longer occupy itspulpit.
"If he does," thundered Elkanah, "I shall never cross the threshold ofthat church. And I've worshiped there for fifty years. Hum--ha! I shouldlike to know whose money has gone more liberal for that meeting housethan mine! But not another cent--no, sir! not one--if that licentiousyoung scamp continues to blaspheme there."
He hinted concerning a good-sized contribution toward a parish house,something the society needed. If Ellery was discharged, the contributionwould probably be made, not otherwise. And this was a point worthconsidering.
Daniels also wrote to his influential friends of the National RegularSociety. But Captain Zebedee had forestalled him there and both letterswere laid on the table to await further developments. As for theCome-Outers, they were wild with rage and Grace was formally read out oftheir communion.
"I wonder," shrieked Ezekiel Bassett, in prayer meeting, "what thesperrit of the good and great man who used to lead us from this 'ereplatform would say if he was here now? Hey? what would he say?"
Josiah Badger upreared his lanky person. "I dreamed about Cap'nEben t'other n-nin-nun-night," he stammered. "I see him justas--p-pup-pup-plain as you hear me n-n-now. And he says to me, he says,Josiah,' he says, 'I-I-I-I--'"
"Ki yi!" broke in Thoph Baker, from the shadow of the rear seat. Josiahturned to berate Thoph, who, being in disgrace because of his defense ofEllery, was reckless, and the communication from the dead leader of theCome-Outers was lost in the squabble which followed.
Meantime Keziah, installed as head nurse at the shanty, was having hertroubles. The minister was getting better, slowly but surely gettingbetter. The danger of brain fever was at an end, but he was very weakand must not be excited, so the doctor said. He knew nothing of thestruggle for and against him which was splitting Trumet in twain, andcare was taken that he should not know it. He was not allowed to talk,and, for the most part, was quite contented to be silent, watching Graceas she moved about the room. If he wondered why she was still with him,he said nothing, and the thought of what his congregation might say didnot vex him in the least. She was there, he saw her every day, that wasenough.
He had expressed a wish to talk with his housekeeper. "I've gotsomething to tell you, Aunt Keziah," he said weakly. "Some news for youand--and--"
"Cat's foot!" snapped Keziah briskly, "don't start in tellin' me newsnow. I've got my hands full as 'tis. News'll keep and you won't, if youtalk another minute."
"But this is important."
"So are you, though you may not think so. If you don't believe it askGrace."
"Well," the minister sighed. "Well, perhaps I won't tell it now. I'drather wait until I feel stronger. You won t care, will you? It will behard to tell and I--"
"No, no! Care? No. If it's bad news I don't want to hear it, and if it'sgood I can wait, I cal'late. You turn over and take a nap."
She could manage him; it was with Grace that she had her struggle. Johnwas safe now; he would be himself again before very long, and the girlhad begun to think of his future and his reputation. She knew thatgossip must be busy in the village, and, much as she wished to remain byhis side, she decided that she should not do so. And then Keziah beganto fulfill her agreement with Dr. Parker.
First, and bluntly, she told the girl that her leaving now was useless.The secret was out; it had been made public. Everyon
e knew she wasin love with John and he with her. Their engagement was considered anestablished certainty. Grace was greatly agitated and very indignant.
"Who dared say so?" she demanded. "Who dared say we were engaged? It'snot true. It's a wicked lie and--Who is responsible, Aunt Keziah?"
"Well, I suppose likely I am, much as anybody, deary."
"You? You,
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