The Delta independent., 1913-02-28

the lampllght shocked MIN.
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 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 l was there and"
Captain Eben dead! Why, he was
as well as-as- She said Oh, l
must go! / must go at once!"
He was on his way to the door. but
she held it 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. l 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!"
ua 10nHal or har in
ment. The blood rushed to his face.
You know that?" he whispered.
Yes, know"
Did she tell"
mo, nobody told. That is. only
little. 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"
"It amt the congregation, John."
she said. Nor Trumet, nor your min
lstry. That means more'n you think
| 1t does, now; but 1t 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 II 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 1t. 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-Outer's 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.
so you see," she said. Its settled;
they're engaged. and DIR. Parker will
tell everybody of the engagement this
very mornin'. 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 on 1t
for years. And she'll have a good
husband, John, that ! know. And she'll
do her best to make him happy. He's
a good man and"
But / know"
do you suppose she would come
to you If she knew 1t would be your
ruin?"
He hesitated. The last time they
met, ages before-no. only the previ-
GUS afternoon-she had told him 1t
was his happiness and his future only
that she thought of. He choked and
drew his hand across his eyes.
Mrs. Coffin" he said, you tell me
1t will be her ruin. You tell me so.
You say she doesn't want me tell
you that the only thing that will keep
me from her is hearing that from her
own lips. When she tells me to leave
her / will, and not before"
She'll tell you, John; she'll tell you
And know Grace. She's made up her
mind and won't change it. But do
ask you this ask you not to go now
Wait a little while. do. left her
asleep, worn out by what sh~' been
through and under the effects OF the
doctors sleepin' medicine. He said
she must rest or he was afraid her
brain would give out. For her sake
then, wait little. Then. II you don't
u.rl.r L q