Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1912-11-07
CHAPTER III.
In Which Keziah Assumes a Guardian

III WHICH TNGLlGH ASouIIlCS q oudI
ship.
Grace left the parsonage soon after
the supposed tramp disclosed his
identity. Her farewells were hurried
and she firmly refused Mrs. Collins
not too-insistent appeal to return to
the house "up street" and have sup
per She said she was glad to meet
Mr.. Ellery The young minister af-
firmed his delight in meeting her.
Its been something Of a day for
me-" he said. 81 am ahead of time
and I've made a lot of trouble, I'm
afraid But yesterday afternoon |
was ready and, to tell the truth, was
eager to come and see my new home
and get at my work. So started on
the morning train. Then the stage
broke down and began to think l
was stranded at Bayport. But this
kind-hearted chap from Wellmouth-l
believe that's where he lived-hap-
pened to pull up to watch us wrest-
ling with the smashed wheel. and
when he found was in hurry to
get to Trumet, offered to give me
lift. His name was-was Bird No,
that wasn't it, but It was something
like Bird, or some kind of bird"
"Bird?" repeated Keziah thought
fully. There's no Birds that know
of in Wellmouth Hum! Hey?
'Twa'n't Sparrow, was it?"
THAT was it. Sparrow"
Good land! Emulous Sparrow
Run considerable to whiskers and
tongue, didn't he?"
why, yes; lie did wear a beard. AS
for tongue-well, he was converse
tional, if that's what you mean"
That's what | mean. If you rode
twelve mile with Emulous, you must
have had an earache for the last six.
Did he ask a question or two about
your personal affairs, here and there
between times?"
Mr.. Bllery laughed.
"Yes, one or two, between tines"
he admitted.
81 shan't die of surprise. Did you
tell him who you was?"
Moo, to be honest, l didn't. He
was so very anxious to find out, that
well, | lodged. / think he believed
| was going to visit Captain Daniels.
Still, some one may have seen me
come here"
mo, no. they didn't. This fog is as
thick as Injun-meal puddin' Nobody
saw you"
WELL" with some hesitation, "the
young lady who was here with you"
"Oh, Grace Van Horne! She's all
right. She won't tell. She amt that
kind"
ivan Horne? That doesn't sound
like a New England name"
"'Tisnt. Her folks come from Jer-
sey somewheres But she was adopt
ed by old Cap'n Hammond, who keeps
the tavern down on the bay shore by
the packet wharf, and she's lived in
Trumet since she was six years old.
Her father was Teunis Van Horne,
and he was mate on Capn Eben's
coastin' schooner and was drowned
off Hatteras Eben was saved just by
the skin of his teeth and got broken
hip and religion while 1t happened
His hips better except that he's some
lame; but his religions been more
and more feverish ever since. He's
built their chapel with his own money,
You mustn't think I'm speakin' light
ly of religion, nor of Cap'n Eben, Ell
Their He's a dear good soul as ever
was, but he is the narrowest kind Of
Come-Outer. His creed is just about
as wide as the chapel door, and that's
as narrow as the way leadin' to sal
walton; 1t is the way, too, so the Come
Cutters think"
What are Come Cutters? Some new
sect?"
"Sakes aliveA Haven't you heard
of Come-outers? Cats foot! Well,
you'll hear of 'em often enough from
now on. They're folks who used to
go to our church, the Regular, but
left because the services was too
worldly, with organs and choir sing,
in, and the road to paradise too easy
INO HSCu LOl " NOiA gOu any IuOIS
You'll learn"
Mr.. Ellery was interested. He had
been in Trumet but once before, or
the occasion when he preached his
trial sermon, and Of that memorable
visit remembered little except the ser
mon itself, the pews filed with cap
tains and their families, and the awe
Inspiring personality Of Captain FL
kanah Daniels, who had been his host
To young man, the ink upon his di
ploma from the theological school still
fresh, trial sermon is a weighty mat
ter and the preaching Of It weightie
still. He had rehearsed 1t over ant
over in private, had delivered 1t al
most through clinched teeth. and ha,
returned to his room In the Boston
boarding house with the conviction
that It was an utter failure. Captain
EIkanah and the gracious Miss Anna