第28章

Higgins，andIke。Mrs。DidamaRogerswastherealso，notasamourner，butbecause，inhercapacityasgathererofgossip，shemadeitapointnevertomissafuneral。TheRev。AbsalomGott，Come-OuterexhorteratWellmouth，preachedtheshortsermon，andEzekielBassettaddedafewremarks。Thenahymnwassunganditwasover。Thelittlecompanyfiledoutofthecemetery，andCaptainEbenHammondwasbutamemoryinTrumet。

KeziahlingeredtospeakawordwithGrace。Thegirl，lookingverywhiteandworn，leanedonthearmofCaptainNat，whosebigbodyactedasabufferbetweenherandover-sympatheticCome-Outers。

Mrs。CoffinsilentlyheldoutbothhandsandGracetookthemeagerly。

“Thankyouforcoming，AuntKeziah，“shesaid。“Iwassureyouwould。“

“LeastIcoulddo，deary，“wastheolderwoman’sanswer。“YouruncleandIwasgoodfriendsonce；wehaven’tseeneachothersooftenoflateyears，butthatain’tchangedmyfeelin’s。Nowyoumustgohomeandrest。Don’tletanyofthese“——witharatherscornfulglanceatJosiahBadgerandEzekielandtheReverendAbsalom——“theseJob’scomfortersbotheryou。Nat，youseethattheyletheralone，won’tyou？“

CaptainNatnodded。He，too，lookedverygraveandworn。“I’lltendtothem，“hesaidshortly。“Come，Grace，“headded；“let’sgo。“

Butthegirlhungback。“Justaminute，Nat，“shesaid。“I——I——

wouldyoumindifIspoketoAuntKeziah——alone？Ionlywanttosayaword。“

Natstrodeofftothecemeterygate，whereJosiahBadgerstood，brandishingaredcottonhandkerchiefasanottoo-cleanemblemofmourning。Mr。Badgereagerlysprangforward，butranintoanimpossiblebarrierintheformofthecaptain’soutstretchedarm。

Josiahprotestedandthecaptainreplied。Graceleanedforward。

“Auntie，“shewhispered，“tellme：Didaletter——Didhe——“

“Yes，itcame。Igaveittohim。“

“Did——didhetellyou？Doyouknow？“

“Yes，Iknow，deary。“

“Didhe——ishe——“

“He’swell，deary。He’llbeallright。I’lllookoutforhim。“

“Youwill，won’tyou？Youwon’tlethimdoanything——“

“Notathing。Don’tworry。We’vehadalongtalkandhe’sgoingtostayrighthereandgoonwithhiswork。Andnobodyelse’lleverknow，Gracie。“

“How——OAuntKeziah！howhemustdespiseme。“

“Despiseyou！Fordoin’whatwasyourduty？Nonsense！He’llrespectyouforitandcometounderstand’twasbestforbothofyou，byandby。Don’tworryabouthim，Gracie。ItellyouI’lllookoutforhim。“

“Iguessitwillbebetterifhedoesdespiseme。Andhateme，too。Hecan’tdespiseandhatememorethanIdomyself。ButitISright——whatI’mdoing；andtheotherwaswrongandwicked。

Auntie，you’llcomeandseeme，won’tyou？Ishallbesolonesome。“

“Yes，yes；I’llcome。Perhapsnotrightaway。There’sreasonswhyI’dbetternotcomerightaway。But，byandby，afterit’sallsettledandyouandNat“——shehesitatedforaninstantinspiteofherself——“afteryouandNataremarriedI’llcome。“

“Don’ttalkaboutthatNOW。Pleasedon’t。“

“Allright，Iwon’t。Youbeagood，bravegirlandlookoutforNat；that’syourdutyandI’msureyou’lldoit。AndI’lldomybestforJohn。“

“DoyoucallhimJohn？“

“Yup。Wehadasortof——ofadoptin’ceremonytheothermornin’andI——Well，yousee，I’vegottohavesomebodytocallbytheirfrontnameandhe’saboutallI’vegotleft。“

“OAuntKeziah！ifIcouldbeonehalfaspatientandbraveandsweetasyouare——“

“Sssh！herecomesNat。Bekindtohim。He’ssufferin’，too；maybemore’nyouimagine。Heresheis，Nat。Takeherbackhomeandbegoodtoher。“

Thebroad-shoulderedskipperledhischargeoutofthegateanddownthe“Turn-off。“JosiahBadgerlookedafterthemdisgustedly。

AsKeziahapproached，heturnedtoher。

“Iswantoman！“heexclaimed，inoffendedindignation，“ifIain’tlosin’myrespectforthatNatHammond。He’sthef-f-fuf-

for’ardestcrittereverIsee。Iwasjustagoin’tohailGracieandaskherwhatshethoughtaboutmyleadin’someofthemeetin’snowherunclehasbeenc

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