Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1912-11-15

or wnar was TO pc cIear. neauutuI
summer morning. when keziah softly
lifted the latch and entered the par
sonage. All night she had been busy
at the Hammond tavern. Busy with
the doctor and the undertaken. who
had been called from his bed by young
Higgins: busy with Grace, soothing
her, comforting her as best she could.
and petting her as a mother might
pet stricken child. The peer girl
was on the verge of prostratien. and
from hysterical spasms of sobs and
weeping passed TO stretches Of silent,
dry-eyed agony which were harder 10
witness and much more TO be feared.
1T is all my fault" she repeated
over and over again. "All my fault,
l killed him, killed him, Aunt ke-
ziahl What shall l do? Oh, why
couldn't have died instead? II would
have been so much better, better for
everybody
DR. Parker was very anxious.
she must rest" he told Mrs. Cof-
fin. "She must, or her brain will give
way. I'm going to give her something
to make her sleep and you must get
her to take It."
So Kezah tried and. at last. Grace
did take the drug. In little while
she was sleeping. uneasily and with
means and sobbings, but sleeping. nev.
ertheless.
Nov it's your turn, Keziah.e said
the doctor. You go home now and
rest. yourself. We don't need YOU any
more just now. Now yeu Sc home
You've had hard night. like the rest
of us"
How hard he had no idea. And Ke
ziah. as she YEARLY entered the par
sonage, realized that the morning
would be perhaps the hardest of all.
For upon her rested the responsibility
of seeing that the minister's secret
was kept. And she, and no other,
must break the news to him.
The dining room was dark and
gloomy. She lighted the lamp. Then
she heard a door open and Ellery's
voice. as he called down the stairs.
who is it?" he demanded. Mrs.
Coffin?'.
She was startled YES" she said
softly, after moment. Eyes. Mr.. Ell
lery. it's me"
It's morning." said the minister.
Are you sick? Has anything hap
pened?n
Yes" she answered slowly. some
10 a 2
Could you come down.
He replied that he would be down
in a moment When he came he
found her standing by the table wait
ing for him. The look of her face in
the lamplight shocked him.
why, Mrs. Coffln!" he exclaimed.
what is it, You look as if you had
been through some dreadful expert
ence."
Her heart went out to him. She
held out both her hands
You poor boy" she cried, I'm try.
ing to tell you one of the hardest
things a body can tell Yes, some one
is dead. but that amt all Eben Ham
mond, poor soul, is out of his troubles
and gone"
'Eben Hammond, Captain Eben?
Dead. Why. why"
Yes, Eben's gone. He was took
down sudden and died about ten
O'Clock last night was there and"
Captain Eben dead. Why, he was
as we'll as-as- She said Oh,
must go, I must go at once!"
He was on his way to the door, but
she held it shut.
No" she said graveiy, you mustn' I
60 John--you won't mind me calm
you John I'm old enough, pretty nigh,
to be your mother, and I've come TO
feel almost as If | was. John, you've
got to stay here with me. You can't
90 to that house. You can't go to
her"
Mrs. Coffin. what are you saying?
Do you know Have YOU
Yes, | know all about It. I know
about the meetin's in the pines and
all Oh, why didn't you trust me and
tell me? If you had. all would have
been so much better!"
He looked at her in utter amaze
ment. The blood rushed to his face.
You know that?" he whispered.
Yes, | know"
did she tell
NO, nobody told. That is. only a
little. | got a hint and | suspicioned
somethin' afore The rest | saw with
my own eyes"
He was now white, but his jaw shot
forward and his teeth closed.
IF you do know" he said you
must realize that my place is with
her. Now, when she is in trouble"
IT amt the congregation, John, "
she said. Nor Trumet, nor your min
istry That means more'n you think
it does. now. but it amt that You
mustn't go TO her becauseT-wegl. be
cause she don't want Fou to-"
Doesn't want me? ] know better"
He laughed in supreme scorn.
1865 500 r.L- oi~e
(r+o D. (fortfr..ad