Gilpin observer., 1913-02-20
secret. And, as christians. we should

secret And. as Christians. we should
forget and forgive"
Ryan Pepper was another whom the
news Of the engagement surprised
greatly. When Lavinia told him of 1t.
at the dinner table, he dropped the
knife he was holding and the greasy
section Of flshball balanced upon it.
Remembering what he had seen in the
grove he could not understand: but
he also remembered, even more vivid
ly, what Keziah Coffin had promised
to do II he ever breathed a word. And
he vowed again that that word should
not be breathed.
Keziah was the life of the gloomy
parsonage. Without her the minister
would have broken down. He called
her Aunt Keziah" at her request and
she continued to call him John" This
was in private. of course; in public
he was "Mr. Ellery' and she Mrs
Coffin"
In his walks about town he saw
nothing Of Grace. She and Mrs. Pound
berry and Captain Nat were still at
the old home and no one save them
selves knew what their plans might
be. Yet oddly enough, Ellery was the
first outsider to learn these plans and
that from Nat himself
He met the captain at the corner
Of the "Turnoff" one day late in Au-
gust. He tried to make his bow seem
cordial, but was painfully aware that
1t was not. Nat. however, seemed not
to notice, but crossed the road and
held out his hand.
We'll. Mr.. Ellery," said Captain
Nat, "1 won't keep you. l see you're
in hurry. Just thought I'd run along
side minute and say good-by. Don't
knows I'll see you again afore l sail. !"
Before you sail? You-you are go
ing away?"
"Yup. My owners have been after
me for good while, but l wouldn't
leave home on account of dads health.
Now he's gone. I've got to be gettin'
back to salt water again. My ships
been drydocked and overhauled and
she's in New York now loadin' for Ma
nila. It's long wage. even II
come back direct, which amt likely.
So may not see the old town again
for couple Of years. Take care of
yourself. won't you? Good men, es-
pecially ministers, are scurse, and
from what l hear about you callate
Trumet needs you."
When are you going?"
Last Of next week, most likely"
will you-shall you go alone? Are
| you to be-to be-"
Married? No. Grace and l have
talked it over and we've agreed it's
best to wait till come back. She'll
stay in the old house with Hannah"
"Good-by, captain"
"Good-by Ell say, Mr. Ellery.
how's things at the parsonage? Err
Keziah-Mrs. Coffin, your housekeep-
er. is she smart?"
"Yes. She's we'll"
That's good. Say, you might tell
her good-by for me, If you want to.
Tell her l wished her all the luck
there was. And-and-just say that
there amt any-well, that her friend
say just that. will you?-her friend
it's "a sort Of joke between u.s."
Very good. captain; III tell her."
They shook hands and parted.
| Didama and her fellow news-venders
distributed the tale of Captain Mats
sailing broadcast during the next few
days. There was much wonderment
at the delayed marriage, but the gen.
eral verdict was that Captain Eben's
recent death and the proper respect
due to 1t furnished sufficient excuse.
Hannah Poundberry. delighted at be-
ing SO close to the center Of interest
talked and talked, and thus Grace was
spared the interviews which would
have been a trouble to her. Nat left
town via the packet. on the following
Wednesday. Within another week
came the news that his ship. the Sea
Mist. had sailed from New York.
bound for Manila.