Putnam patriot., 1912-12-13

| Ter brother. Kyaa vas horrihed. He
hso grown TO be one OF Ellery's most
devoted worshipers.
One OF the very first to hear OF the
minister's illness was Keziah Coffin.
Mrs. Parker cold her and Keziah start
ed for the beach before the tale OF
traces part in the nights happenings
reached the village. She did not wait
Tor conveyance. hardly waited to
throw a shawl over her shoulders. but
began to cover the three miles OR foot.
She had walked nearly two-thirds Of
The distance when Captain Zeb Mayo
overlook her and gave her a seat in
his ehaise.
They said little during the drive, the
shock and anxiety forbidding CONVEX
sation. At the ropes was the same
group. larger now. and DR.. Parker's
horse was hitched to one of the posts
You can't so in. Mrs. Coffin" said
/ Thoph Black. The doctor give us bis
orders not to let nobody get by.
guess nobody wants to, but all the
/ same"
Keziah paid not the slightest atten-
/ ton to Mr.. Black. She stopped beneath
his arm, under the rope and was on
her way to the shanty before they real.
/ lied her intention The living room
was empty, but at the sound OF her
step some one came from the room
adjoining. That some one was Grace.
DR.. Parker appeared. holding up a
hand for silence.
"Hushl" he cried. He's quiet now
and l think he will sleep. Don't talk
here. Go outside. IL you must talk
| and I suppose you must"
| Grace led the way. Fortunately. the
| door was on the side not visible from
the spot where Captain Zeb and the
rest were standing. Keziah, bewil-
dered and amazed at the girls pres
enee. followed dumbly.
Now, aGntie," whispered Grace.
turning to her, you want to know
how he is. of course. Well, l think he
| is better. The doctor thinks so. too.
But why did you come hereg"
why did l comet Why, because
my place was here. l belonged here.
For the love Of mercys sakes what
are you dom here? With him? And
| the smallpox"
Hush. | can't help It. | don't care.
l dcn't care for anything any more
I'm glad | came. I'm glad | was the
one to find him and help him. Ne
matter what happens-to me-I'm
glad. l never was so glad before. |
love him, Aunt Keziah. | can say it
to you. for you know it-you must
know IT, I love him and he needed
me and | came. He was calling my
name when I found him. He might
have died there. alone In the wet and
cold, and | saved him. Think what
that means to me-"
The door opened sofNy and DR. Par
ker came out.
He's asleep" he said. And he's
better. much better And I'll tell you
something else. IL you won't make too
much noise about it-he hasn't got the
smallpox. He is pretty close to brain
fever, though. but | guess he'll dodge
that this time. with care. On the
whole. Keziah. I'm glad you came.
This young lady" with a movement OF
the head toward Grace. has done her
part She really saved his life. II I'm
not mistaken Now. | think she can
go away and leave him to you and me.
I'll pretty nearly guarantee to have
him up and out OF this-this pesthole
in a fortnight"
Here was joyful tidings, the better
for being so unexpected. Keziah
leaned against the boards and drew
long breath. Grace said nothing, but.
after a moment, she went into the
house.
That's good thing. too" COM
mented Parker, watching her as she
went. Il wanted to talk with you, Ke-
ziah Coffin, and right away. Now, then,
there's something up, something that
l don't know about, and | rather guess
you do. Young women-even when
they're her kind and that's as good
a kind as there is-don't risk smallpox
for any young man they pick up cas-
ually."
Keziah considered "All right, doc
tor" she said. when she reached de-
cision, "all right; I'll tell you the
whole thing"
She went on to tell all she knew of
her parsons love story.
Dr. Parker listened.
Hunt" he said thoughtfully, II see.
What made her change her mind so
suddenly? You say, or you gather
from what MIR. Ellery told you, that
she had all but agreed to marry him.
She cares for him, that's sure. Then,
all at once, she throws him over and
accepts Nat OF course her uncle's
sudden seizure was shock and he
, wanted Nat to have her, but she isn't
the kind of girl TO be easily swayed.
But never mind that. that doesn't
count now. Let's look at things as
they are this minute. She's here and
folks know it. AS they do know 1t
they'll begin to talk. and the more
they talk the farther from the truth
they'll get-most of 'em. Nat. poor
chap, is dead, so her promise to him
is Cancelled. Ellery will get well II
he isn't troubled If she leaves him
he'll go to pieces again, SO she muslin t
leave. And she can't stay without an
explanation. | say let's give the ex-
PLANTATION; let's come right out with
the announcement that they're en-
gagged"
But she's Come-Outer and
| there's the church"
Well | know 1t. But he never was
SO popular as he is now. And she
| isn't by any means steady-going
| Come Outer. Why, Zeke Bassett and
49, raot have haep finding fault with