第52章 IN WHICH CAPTAIN EBEN MAKES PORT(1)

Half past eight.In the vestry of the Regular church John Ellery was conducting his prayer meeting.The attendance was as large as usual.Three seats,however,were vacant,and along the settees people were wondering where Captain Elkanah Daniels and his daughter might be.They had not missed a service for many a day.

And where was Keziah Coffin?

At the Come-Outer chapel the testifying and singing were in full blast.But Ezekiel Bassett was leading,for Captain Eben Hammond had not made his appearance.Neither had Grace Van Horne,for that matter,but Captain Eben's absence was the most astonishing.

Somethin's the matter,whispered Josiah Badger to his right-hand neighbor.Somethin's wrong d-d-d-down to the tavern,sartin'

sure.I'm goin'down there just soon's meetin's over and f-f-f-find out.Eben wouldn't no more miss leadin'his meetin'from choice than I'd go without a meal's v-v-vi-vittles.Somethin's happened and I'm goin'to know what 'tis.You'll go along with me,won't ye,Lot?The answer was an affirmative.In fact,almost every worshiper in that chapel had determined to visit the Hammond tavern as soon as the service was at an end.

In the Regular parsonage Keziah sat alone by the sitting-room table.Prayer meeting and supper she had forgotten entirely.The minister had not come home for his evening meal,and food was furthest from the housekeeper's thoughts.What should she do?

What ought she to do?How could she avert the disaster so certain to overwhelm those two young people the moment their secret became known?

It was in vain that she tried to encourage herself with the hope that Kyan had exaggerated--that the meetings in the grove had not been as frequent as he said they were,or that they had been merely casual.She knew better.She had seen the pair together and the look in John Ellery's eyes.No,the mischief was done,they loved each other;or,at least,he loved her.There was the great trouble.

Keziah,in spite of her worldly common sense,was an idealist at heart.Love matches she believed in thoroughly.If the man had not been a Regular minister,or if he had been a minister in any other town than narrow,gossiping,squabbling Trumet,where families were divided on religiousgrounds,neighbors did not speak because their creeds were different,and even after death were buried in cemeteries three miles apart;if the girl had been other than the ward of bigoted old Eben Hammond--then,though they were poor as poverty itself,Keziah would have joined their hands and rejoiced.Even as it was,she was strongly tempted to do it.

Her sense of right and her every inclination urged her toward that course.Face the world together and fight it out,that was the advice she would like to give them.But no,the battle was too uneven.The odds were too great.They must not think of marriage,for the present,and they must cease to meet.Perhaps some day--she tried to comfort herself with the thought--perhaps some day,years afterwards and under different circumstances,they might--With Ellery she felt certain she could accomplish nothing by argument or persuasion.She knew him well enough by this time to realize that,if his mind was made up,all Trumet and all creation could not change it.He would keep on his course,and,if wrecked,would go down with colors set and helm lashed.But Grace,perhaps she did not fully realize the situation.She might be made to see,to listen to reason.And,perhaps,it was possible--perhaps,on her part,matters were not as serious.The minister had not acted like a triumphant lover,assured of success;he had seemed,now that she thought of it,more like a pleader,a supplicant.

Perhaps,if she could see Grace and talk plainly with the girl,it might not be too late.She determined to try that very night.

She rose and again donned her bonnet and shawl.She was about to blow out the lamp when she heard rapid footsteps,the sound of some one running along the sidewalk in front of the house.As she listened,the footsteps sounded on the path.Whoever the runner was he was coming to the parsonage.She stepped to the door and opened it.

The runner was a boy,Maria Higgins's boy Isaac,whose widowed mother lived down by the shore.He did the chores at the Hammond tavern.His freckled face was dripping with perspiration and he puffed and blew like a stranded whale.

What's the matter,Ike?demanded Keziah.What is it?Have ye--have ye,panted Ike,have ye seen the doctor anywheres,Mis Coffin?Who?Dr.Parker?Have I seen--what in the world are you comin'

HERE after the doctor for?

'Cause--'cause I didn't know where else to come.I been to his house and he ain't to home.Nobody ain't to home.His wife,Mis Parker,she's gone up to Boston yes'day on the coach,and--and it's all dark and the house door's open and the shay's gone,so--Who's sick?Who wants him?

And--and--all the rest of the houses round here was shut up 'cause everybody's to meetin'.I peeked in at the meetin'house and he ain't there,and I see your light and--Who's sick?Tell me that,won't you?

Cap'n Eben.He's awful sick.I cal'late he's goin'to die,and Gracie,she--Cap'n Eben?Eben Hammond!Dyin'?What are you talkin'about?Huh!huh!puffed the messenger impatiently.Didn't I tell ye?

Cap'n Eben's adyin'.I seen him.All white and still and--and awful.And Gracie,she's all alone and--Alone?Where's Nat?

She don't know.He ain't to home.But I got to find Dr.Parker.Hold on!Stop!I'll tell you where the doctor is most likely.