Putnam patriot., 1912-12-27
tronhles


not to marry Grace-unless, of course.
she was set on it-menths ago. I'm
/ tickled to death to know she's goin'
/ to have as good a man as you are.
She'll tell you so. Gracel Hellol
she's gone"
Yes l told her I wanted to tall
with you alone, for few minutes
Nat, Grace tells me that Aunt Keziah
was the one who"
"She was She met me at the Co
hasset Narrows depot. was settin'
/ In the car, loekin' out of the window
at the sand and snifin' the Cape air.
somebody tapped me on the shoulder.
| looked up and twas her. | was sur
prised enough to see her. I tell you.
Way up there at the Narrowsi
couldn't have said word, anyway.
and she never gave me a chance.
Nat she says, don't talk now. Come
with me, quick afore the train starts.
I've come here on purpose to meet
You. l must talk with you; it's I'M
portant You can go to Trumet on
the next train, tonight. But now l
must talk with you. I must. Won't
you please come, Nat?'
well. went. The engine bell was
beginnin' TO ring and We had to move
lively, tell you. | swung her off the
step Just as the car begun to move.
So into the waitin' room We went and
come TO amor on the settee. And
then, John. We had our talk. Seems
she left Trumet Wednesday afternoon.
Got the livery stable man to drive her
as fur as Bayport, hired another team
there and come on to Sandwich. Stay
ed overnight there and took the morn
in train which got to Gohasset Mar
rows just ahead of the one I was
comm on. She'd been so fraid of be-
in late, she said. She must see me
afore l got to Trumet.
We'll, she saw me and told me the
whole yarn about you and Grace. She
tried to break it TO me gently. so |
wouldn't feel too bad She knew Il
would be a shock to me. she said It
was a shock, in a way, but as for
feelin' bad, didn't think the world
of Grace. I'd do anything she wanted
me to do; but most the way down on
the train-yes, and long afore that
I'd been dreadin' my comm home on
one account. | dreaded tellin' Der
that. unless she was real set on Il,
she'd better not marry me-"
Nat. l want to tell you something.
Something that only one other per-
son knows. Grace doesn't know it
NTasf KaziQh-fha
whole of it. And If she knew | told
you even part I'm afraid she would,
as she would say, skin me alive.
But / owe her-and you-more than
could repay II l lived thousand
years So I'm going to tell and take
the consequences"
NAT, when-that morning after
your father died and after you and
Grace had agreed toto"
"To do somethin' neither OF us
wanted to do? Yes, ! know. Go
ahead"
That morning Aunt Keziah came
home to the parsonage and broke the
news to me- She did it as only she
could do such a thing, kindly and pity
iASiy anu a iOoi VI ny 1912
expect. refused to believe her. be-
haved disgracefully, and at last. when
| had to believe it, threatened to run
away and leave my work and Trumet
forever, like a coward. She made me
stay"
did, hey?"
yes. She showed me 1t was my
1.,tu IN no music Whan |
whimpered about my troubles she
told me her own story. Then
learned what trouble was and what
pluck was. too. She told me about
her marriage and-excuse me for
speaking of what isn't my business;
yet it is mine, in way-she told me
about you"
Captain Hammond did not answer.
His good-natured face clouded and he
shifted in his chair.
"She told me of you, Nat. all about
you-and herself And she told me
something else. which explains why
she felt she must send you away, why
she thought your marriage to Grace
would be good thing"
Il know she told you that that
darn scamp Anse Coffin was alive"
The minister started violently. He
gasped in surprise.
you knew it? You knew it?" he
stammered.
81 know 1t now. Have known 1t for
over year. My fndin' it out was
one of the special Proyidences that's
been helpin' along this last voyage of
mine. My second mate was Hyan-
mis- man, name of Cahoon. One day,
on that pesky island, when we was
eatin' dinner together, he says to me,
'Cap'n,' he says, you're from Trumet,
amt your | owned up. Know any
body named Coffin there?' says he. |
owned up to that, too. Well he says,
4 met her husband last trip was in
the Glory of the Wave | stared at
him. Met his ghost you mean
says. He's been dead for years. and
a good thing, too. Fell overheard and,
not bein' used to water. 1t killed him.
But he wouldn't have 1t so. I used
to know Anse Coffin in New Bedford
he says. Knew him wells / know
YOU. And when we was In port at
Havre / dropped In at gin mill down
by the water front and he come up
and touched be on the arm. thought
same as you, that he was dead. but
he want. He was three sheets In
the wind and a regular dock rat to
look at, but twas him sure enough.
We had a long talk. He said he was
| oornin, hack 10 Trunnet some day Had
a wife there. he said. l told him,