Hammond.Captain Zeb Mayo wondered most of all. Yet his wonderment wasaccompanied by vague suspicions of the truth. And, at eleven o'clock,when the village was in bed, a horse and buggy moved down the Turn-offand stopped before the Hammond gate. A man alighted from the buggy andwalked briskly up to the side door. There he knocked and then whistledshrilly.
A window overhead was opened.
"Who is it?" asked a feminine voice.
"Don't be frightened, Gracie," replied the man at the door. "It'sme--Nat. I've come home again."
CHAPTER XX
IN WHICH THE MINISTER RECEIVES A LETTER
John Ellery was uneasy. Physically he was very much better, so muchbetter that he was permitted to sit up a while each day. But mentally hewas disturbed and excited, exactly the condition which the doctor saidhe must not be in. Keziah and Grace had gone away and left him, and hecould not understand why.
Mrs. Higgins, Ike's mother, was at the shanty and she did her best tosoothe and quiet him. She was a kind soul and capable, in her way, butshe could not answer his questions satisfactorily.
"Where are they?" he demanded. "Why did they go? Has anything happened?When are they coming back?"
"I can't tell you just when, Mr. Ellery," replied Mrs. Higgins. "Gracehad to go home for a--a day or so and Keziah had things to attend to atthe parsonage. Don't you fret yourself about them."
"I'm not fretting, but it does seem strange. I could understand why oneshould go, perhaps, but not both. Didn't Gra--Miss Van Horne tell youwhy she went?"
"Well, now, Mr. Ellery, don't let's worry about Gracie. She's a goodgirl with lots of common sense and--"
"I know that. But that doesn't answer me. Why did she go?"
"Keziah hadn't been to the parsonage sence that day when you was fusttook sick, and I expect likely she felt that she'd ought to--"
"Please, Mrs. Higgins, tell me the truth. I'm not asking about Mrs.Coffin. Didn't Miss Van Horne tell you her reason for leaving?"
"No, she didn't."
"But you know the reason? You're keeping something from me. Did she saywhen she would come back?"
"No, not exactly, but, of course--"
"I know you're keeping something from me. What has happened?"
"Happened? Land sakes! does anything ever happen in Trumet?"
"I think a good many things have happened lately. And the longer youkeep the truth from me the more I shall suspect."
"Mr. Ellery, you set still in that chair, or, when the doctor comes,he'll put you to bed. I've got some cookin' to do and I can't set heregossipin' no longer. You behave yourself and stop frettin'. I'm skipperhere now--er--for a while, anyhow--and you've got to take orders fromme. There! now I cal'late you're scared, ain't you?"
He did not seem greatly frightened, nor in awe of his new skipper.Instead, he was evidently preparing to ask more questions. Mrs. Higginshurriedly fled to the living room and closed the door behind her.
The minister heard her rattling pans and dishes at a great rate. Thenoise made him nervous and he wished she might be more quiet. He movedto the chair nearest the window and looked out over the dunes and thewide stretch of tumbling blue sea. The surf was rolling up the shore,the mackerel gulls were swooping and dipping along the strand, the beachgrass was waving in the wind. A solitary fish boat was beating out pastthe spar buoy. She was almost over the spot when the San Jose had firstanchored.
The view was a familiar one. He had seen it in all weathers, during astorm, at morning when the sun was rising, at evening when the mooncame up to tip the watery ridges with frosted silver. He had likedit, tolerated it, hated it, and then, after she came, loved it. He hadthought it the most beautiful scene in all the world and one never to beforgotten. The dingy old building, with its bare wooden walls, had beenfirst a horror, then a prison, and at last a palace of contentment. Withthe two women, one a second mother to him, and the other dearest ofall on earth, he could have lived there forever. But now the old prisonfeeling was coming back. He was tired of the view and of the mean littleroom. He felt lonely and deserted and despairing.
His nerves were still weak and it was easy, in his childish condition,to become despondent. He went over the whole situation and felt more andmore sure that his hopes had been false ones and that he had builded afool's paradise. After all, he remembered, she had given him no promise;she had found him ill and delirious and had brought him there. She hadbeen kind and thoughtful and gracious, but that she would be to anyone,it was her nature. And he had been content, weak as he was, to have hernear him, where he would see her and hear her speak. Her mere presencewas so wonderful that he had been satisfied with that and had not askedfor more. And now she had gone. Mrs. Higgins had said "for a day ortwo," but that was indefinite, and she had not said she would returnwhen those two days had passed. He was better now, almost well. Wouldshe come back to him? After all, conditions in the village had notchanged. He was still pastor of the Regular church and she was aCome-Outer. The man she had promised to marry was dead--yes. But theother conditions were the same. And Mrs. Higgins had refused to tellhim the whole truth; he was certain of that. She had run away when hequestioned her.
He rose from the chair and started toward the living room. He would notbe put off again. He would be answered. His hand was on the latch of thedoor when that door was opened. Dr. Parker came in.
The doctor was smiling broadly. His ruddy face was actually beaming. Heheld out his hand, seized the minister's, and shook it.
"Good morning, Mr. Ellery," he said. "It's a glorious day. Yes, sir, abully day. Hey? isn't it?"
Ellery's answer was a question.
"Doctor," he said, "why have Mrs. Coffin and--and Miss Van Horne gone?Has anything happened? I know something has, and you must tell me what.Don't try to put me off or give me evasive answers. I want to know whythey have gone."
Parker looked at him keenly. "Humph!" he grunted. "I'll have to getinto Mrs. Higgins's wig. I told her not to let you worry, and you haveworried. You're all of a shake."
"Never mind that. I asked you a question."
"I know you did. Now, Mr. Ellery, I'm disappointed in you. I thought youwere a sensible man who would take care of his health, now that he'd gotthe most of it back again. I've got news for you--good news--but I'm notsure that I shall tell it to you."
"Good news! Dr. Parker, if you've got news for me that is good, forHeaven's sake tell it. I've been imagining everything bad that couldpossibly happen. Tell me, quick. My health can stand that."
"Ye-es, yes, I guess it can. They say joy doesn't kill, and that's oneof the few medical proverbs made by unmedical men that are true. Youcome with me and sit down in that chair. Yes, you will. Sit down."
He led his patient back to the chair by the window and forced him intoit.
"There!" he said. "Now, Mr. Ellery, if you think you are a man, asensible man, who won't go to pieces like a ten-year-old youngster,I'll--I'll let you sit here for a while."
"Doctor?"
"You sit still. No, I'm not going to tell you anything. You sit whereyou are and maybe the news'll come to you. If you move it won't. Goingto obey orders? Good! I'll see you by and by, Mr. Ellery."
He walked out of the room. It seemed to Ellery that he sat in that chairfor ten thousand years before the door again opened. And then--
--"Grace!" he cried. "O Grace! you--you've come back."
She was blushing red, her face was radiant with quiet happiness, but hereyes were moist. She crossed the room, bent over and kissed him on theforehead.
"Yes, John," she said; "I've come back. Yes, dear, I've come back to--toyou."
Outside the shanty, on the side farthest from the light and its groupof buildings, the doctor and Captain Nat Hammond were talking with Mrs.Higgins. The latter was wildly excited and bubbling with joy.
"It's splendid!" she exclaimed. "It's almost too fine to believe. Nowwe'll keep our minister, won't we?"
"I don't see why not," observed the doctor, with quiet satisfaction."Zeb and I had the Dani
els crowd licked to a shoestring and now they'llstay licked. The parish committee is three to one for Mr. Ellery and thecongregation more than that. Keep him? You bet we'll keep him! AndI'll dance at his wedding--that is, unless he's got religious scruplesagainst it."
Mrs. Higgins turned to Captain Nat.
"It's kind of hard for you, Nat," she said. "But it's awful noble andself-sacrificin' and everybody'll say so. Of course there wouldn't bemuch
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