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Keziah，inspiteofherworldlycommonsense，wasanidealistatheart。Lovematchesshebelievedinthoroughly。IfthemanhadnotbeenaRegularminister，orifhehadbeenaministerinanyothertownthannarrow，gossiping，squabblingTrumet，wherefamiliesweredividedon“religious“grounds，neighborsdidnotspeakbecausetheircreedsweredifferent，andevenafterdeathwereburiedincemeteriesthreemilesapart；ifthegirlhadbeenotherthanthewardofbigotedoldEbenHammond——then，thoughtheywerepooraspovertyitself，Keziahwouldhavejoinedtheirhandsandrejoiced。Evenasitwas，shewasstronglytemptedtodoit。
Hersenseofrightandhereveryinclinationurgedhertowardthatcourse。“Facetheworldtogetherandfightitout，“thatwastheadviceshewouldliketogivethem。Butno，thebattlewastoouneven。Theoddsweretoogreat。Theymustnotthinkofmarriage，forthepresent，andtheymustceasetomeet。Perhapssomeday——
shetriedtocomfortherselfwiththethought——perhapssomeday，yearsafterwardsandunderdifferentcircumstances，theymight——
WithElleryshefeltcertainshecouldaccomplishnothingbyargumentorpersuasion。Sheknewhimwellenoughbythistimetorealizethat，ifhismindwasmadeup，allTrumetandallcreationcouldnotchangeit。Hewouldkeeponhiscourse，and，ifwrecked，wouldgodownwithcolorssetandhelmlashed。ButGrace，perhapsshedidnotfullyrealizethesituation。Shemightbemadetosee，tolistentoreason。And，perhaps，itwaspossible——perhaps，onherpart，matterswerenotasserious。Theministerhadnotactedlikeatriumphantlover，assuredofsuccess；hehadseemed，nowthatshethoughtofit，morelikeapleader，asupplicant。
Perhaps，ifshecouldseeGraceandtalkplainlywiththegirl，itmightnotbetoolate。Shedeterminedtotrythatverynight。
Sheroseandagaindonnedherbonnetandshawl。Shewasabouttoblowoutthelampwhensheheardrapidfootsteps，thesoundofsomeonerunningalongthesidewalkinfrontofthehouse。Asshelistened，thefootstepssoundedonthepath。Whoevertherunnerwashewascomingtotheparsonage。Shesteppedtothedoorandopenedit。
Therunnerwasaboy，MariaHiggins’sboyIsaac，whosewidowedmotherliveddownbytheshore。HedidthechoresattheHammondtavern。Hisfreckledfacewasdrippingwithperspirationandhepuffedandblewlikeastrandedwhale。
“What’sthematter，Ike？“demandedKeziah。“Whatisit？“
“Haveye——haveye，“pantedIke，“haveyeseenthedoctoranywheres，MisCoffin？“
“Who？Dr。Parker？HaveIseen——whatintheworldareyoucomin’
HEREafterthedoctorfor？“
“’Cause——’causeIdidn’tknowwhereelsetocome。Ibeentohishouseandheain’ttohome。Nobodyain’ttohome。Hiswife，MisParker，she’sgoneuptoBostonyes’dayonthecoach，and——andit’salldarkandthehousedoor’sopenandtheshay’sgone，so——“
“Who’ssick？Whowantshim？“
“And——and——alltherestofthehousesroundherewasshutup’causeeverybody’stomeetin’。Ipeekedinatthemeetin’houseandheain’tthere，andIseeyourlightand——“
“Who’ssick？Tellmethat，won’tyou？“
“Cap’nEben。He’sawfulsick。Ical’latehe’sgoin’todie，andGracie，she——“
“Cap’nEben？EbenHammond！Dyin’？Whatareyoutalkin’about？“
“Huh！huh！“puffedthemessengerimpatiently。“Didn’tItellye？
Cap’nEben’sadyin’。Iseenhim。Allwhiteandstilland——andawful。AndGracie，she’sallaloneand——“
“Alone？Where’sNat？“
“Shedon’tknow。Heain’ttohome。ButIgottofindDr。Parker。“
“Holdon！Stop！I’lltellyouwherethedoctorismostlikely。
UptoMrs。Prince’s。She’sbeenpoorlyandhe’sprob’lybeencalledthere。Run！runfastaseveryoucanandgethimandI’llgotoGracethisminute。Thepoorthing！Haveyoutoldanybodyelse？“
“No，no！ain’tseennobodybutyoutotell。Theywasprayin’overtomeetin’，andthefellersthatwaitsoutsidetokeepcomp’nywiththegirlsain’tgotthereyet。AndInevermetnobody。And’twassoblasteddarkIfelldownfourtimesandtoremybestpantsand——“
“S-sh-sh！Listentome！Don’ttellanybody。Notasoulbutthedoctor。Half
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