The Delta independent., 1913-02-07
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER Mrs Keziah Coffin, sup
posed widow. is arranging to move from
Trumet to Boston. following the death
OF her brother. for whom she had kept
house. Grace Van Horne, ward of Capt.
Eben Hammond. leader of the Come out
er" religious sect. offers TO assist her
financially IL she will remain. She de-
clfnes. Ryan Pepper. widower. offers mar
Tiage. and Is Indignantly refused
CHAPTER II-Capt. Elkanah Daniels,
leader of the Regular church, offers ke-
minister and she decides to remain in
Trumet.
CHAPTER III-Keziah takes charge of
Rev. John Icllery. the new minister. and
gives him advice to his conduct toward
mem6ers nn,sr Of Of the parish. Eliery causes =. q
ere-.i-.
CHAPTER IV-Ellery's presence is Dit
terly resented by Eben Hammond. leader
of the meeting: Grace apologies for her
the rain. Capt. Nat Hammond. Eben's
son. becomes a hero by bringing the pack
Ct into port safely through fog and storm.
Ellery nnds keziah writing a letter to
some one. inclosing money In response to
a demand. She is curiously startled when
Informed of the arrival of Nat.
CHAPTER v-Nat calls on Keziah. and
II develops that they haye been lovers
since youth. Daniels demonstrates with
Ellery for attending "Come-outer" meet
acS.
CHAPTER vI-Ellery is caught by the
tide and is rescued by Nat. They become
friends.
CHAPTER VII-Ellery meets Grace
while walking in the fields Sunday. and
learns that she walks there every Sum-
day.
CHAPTER VIII-The clergyman takes
dinner Sundays with the Daniels. Anna
bel. the captains daughter. exerts her
self to make an impression on him. She
notices with vexation his desire to get
away every Sunday at certain time.
She watches him through spy glass.
The sun was low in the west as he
entered the grove of pines on the bluff
The red light between the boughs
made brilliant carpet patterns on the
thick pine needles and the smell was
balsamy and sweet. Between the tree
trunks he caught glimpses of the
hats. now partially covered, and they
reminded him of his narrow escape
and of Nat Hammond. his rescuer.
Thinking of the Hammond family
reminded him of another member Of
1t. Not that he needed to be remind
ed; he had thought Of her often
enough since she ran away from him
In the rain that night. And then he
saw her. She was standing just at the
puter edge of the grove, leaning
against tree and looking toward the
sunset. She wore a simple white dress
and her hat hung upon her shoulders
by its ribbons. The rosy light edged
the white gown with pink and the
fringes of her dark hair were crinkly
lines of fire. Her face was grave, al
most sad.
John Ellery stood STILL with one foot
nplifted for a step. The girl looked
put over the water and he looked at
her. Then crow, one of several
whirling above the pines. spied the in
truder and screamed a warning The
minister was startled and stepped
back. A dead limb beneath his foot
cracked sharply. Grace turned and
saw him.
OH" she cried. "Who is it?"
Ellery emerged from the shadow.
Don't be frightened, Miss Van
Horne" he said 1T is-er-I."
You came to see the sunset,
suppose" she said hurriedly. as if to
head off a question. so did l. It ia
a beautiful evening for a walk, isn't
IT."
She had said precisely the same
thing on that other evening, when
they stood in the middle OF Ham
mond's Turn-off" in the driving rain.
He remembered it, and SO. evidently.
did she, for she colored slightly and
smiled.
II mean it this time" she said. I'm
glad you didn't get cold from your
wetting the other day"
"Oh! ! wasn't very wet. You
wouldn't let me lend you the umbrella,
20 had that to protect me on the way
home"
Not then; meant the other morn
Ing when Nat-Cap'n Hammond-met
you on the fats. He said you were
over your boots"
1T was worse than that, a good deal
worse. II might have been my last
cruise. I'm pretty certain that / owe
the captain my life. That part of the
channel / proposed swimming was ex-
nctly where two men have been
drowned, SO people say. Pm not a
very strong swimmer, and they were.
Bo, you see."
Grace cried out in establishment.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. Then point
Ing toward the bay, she asked: "Out
there, by the end Of that leader, was
III"
"Yes, that was it."
She drew long breath. Then, after
= moment:
"And Nat spoke as II 1t was all
Joke" she said.
mo doubt he did. From what I hear
Of your brother, he generally refers to
his own plucky, capable actions as