The Chanute times., 1913-03-07

SO0dB6, TedllZtu lldL llo lioi hih6
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.
Cofin?"
She was startled. "Yes," she said
softly, after a moment. Eyes, Mr. FL
lery, it's me-"
"It's morning." said the minister.
Are you sick? Has anything hap
pened?"
YES" she answered slowly. some
thin has happened. Are you dressed? :?
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. Coffin!' 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 well as-as- She said oh,
must go! l must go at once!"
He was on his way to the door. but
she held 1t shut.
NO" she said gravely, you mustn't
go. 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
go to that house. You can't go to
her"
Mrs. Coffin, what are you saying?
Do you know Have you"
"Yes, l know all about it. | 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"
mo, nobody told. That is, only a
little. l got hint and | suspicioned
somethin' afore. The rest l 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"
"Tt 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 because-well. be-
cause she don't want you to-"
Doesn't want me? know better"
He laughed in supreme scorn.
"She doesn't want you, John. She
wouldn't see you If you went. She
would send you away again, sure, sar-
tin sure. She would. And II you
didn't go when she sent you. you
wouldn't be the man l hope you are.
John. you mustn't see Grace again.
She amt yours. She belongs to some
one else.
John, Grace Van Horne is goin' to
marry Cap'n Nat Hammond. There!
that's the livin' truth"
She led him over to the rocking
chair and gently forced him into it. He
obeyed, although with no apparent
realization Of what he was doing. Still
with her hand on his shoulder she
went on speaking. She told him of
her visit to the Hammond tavern, say
ing nothing Of Mr.. Peppers call nor
of her own experience in the grove.
She told OF Captain Eben's seizure, of
what the doctor said, and Of the old
Come Cutters return to consciousness.
Then she described the scene In the
sick room and how Nat and Grace had
plighted troth. He listened, at first
stunned and stolid. then with grow
ing impatience.
$50 you see," she said. ITS settled;
they're engaged. and DR.. Parker will
tell everybody Of the engagement this
very morLin. 1t want any great sur
prise to me. Those who have been
brought up together; twas the natu'
raj thing that was almost bound to
happen. Eben's heart was set oh II
for years. And she'll have good
husband, John, that know. And she'll
do her best to make him happy. He's
a good man and"
But l know"
do you suppose she would come
to you If she knew 1t would be your
ruin?"