第31章

Whydon’tyougoseeher，too，Mr。Ellery？’TwouldbeawelcomechangefromZekeBassettandhistribe。Goahead！itwouldbetheAlmighty’sownworkandthesociety’dstandbackofyou，allthemthat’swuthconsiderin’，anyhow。“

ThiswassurprisingadvicefromamemberoftheRegularandwasindicativeofthechangedfeelinginthecommunity，buttheminister，ofcourse，couldnottakeit。Hehadplungedheadlongintohischurchwork，hopingthatitandtimewoulddullthepainofhisterribleshockanddisappointment。Ithadbeendulledsomewhat，butitwasstillthere，andeverymentionofhernamerevivedit。

OneafternoonKeziahcameintohisstudy，wherehewaslaboringwithhisnextSundaysermon，andsatdownintherocking-chair。

Shehadbeenoutandstillworeherbonnetandshawl。

“John，“shesaid，“Iaskyourpardonfordisturbin’you。Iknowyou’rebusy。“

Ellerylaiddownhispen。“Nevertoobusytotalkwithyou，AuntKeziah，“heobserved。“Whatisit？“

“IwantedtoaskifyouknewMrs。Princewassick？“

“No。Isshe？I’mawfullysorry。Nothingserious，Ihope？“

“No，Iguessnot。Onlyshe’sgotacoldandiskindofundertheweather。Ithoughtp’r’apsyou’dliketorunupandseeher。Shethinkstheworldandallofyou，’causeyouwassogoodwhenshewasdistressedaboutherson。Pooroldthing！she’shadahardtimeofit。“

“Iwillgo。Ioughttogo，ofcourse。I’mgladyouremindedmeofit。“

“Yes。Itoldheryouhadn’tmeanttoneglecther，butyou’dbeenbusyfussin’withthefairandthelikeofthat。“

“Thatwasall。I’llgorightaway。Haveyoubeenthereto-day？“

“No。Ijustheardthatshewasailin’fromDidamaRogers。Didamasaidshewasallbutdyin’，soIknewsheprob’lyhadalittlecold，orsomethin’。Ifshewasreallyverybad，Diwouldhavehadherburiedbythistime，so’stobesurehernewswasaheadofanybodyelse’s。Iain’tbeenupthere，butImethert’othermornin’。“

“Didama？“

“No；Mrs。Prince。She’dcomedowntoseeGrace。“

“Oh。“

“Yes。Theoldlady’sbeenawfulkindandsympathizin’since——sincethisnewtrouble。Itremindsherofthelossofherownboy，I

presumelikely，andsoshefeelsforGrace。John，whatdotheysayaroundtownabout——aboutHIM？“

“CaptainHammond？“

“Yes。“

Theministerhesitated。Keziahdidnotwaitforhimtoanswer。

“Isee，“shesaidslowly。“Dotheyallfeelthatway？“

“Why，ifyoumeanthatthey’veallgivenuphope，Ishouldhardlysaythat。CaptainMayoandCaptainDanielswerespeakingofitinmyhearingtheotherdayandtheyagreedthattherewasstillachance。“

“Aprettyslimone，though，theycal’lated，didn’tthey？“

“Well，theywere——weredoubtful，ofcourse。Therewasthepossibilitythathehadbeenwreckedsomewhereandhadn’tbeenpickedup。Theycitedseveralsuchcases。TheSouthPacificisfullofislandswherevesselsseldomtouch，andheandhiscrewmaybeononeofthese。“

“Yes。Theymight，butI’mafraidnot。Ah，hum！“

Sheroseandwasturningaway。Elleryrosealsoandlaidhishandonherarm。

“AuntKeziah，“hesaid，“I’mverysorry。IrespectedCaptainHammond，inspiteof——of——inspiteofeverything。I’vetriedtorealizethathewasnottoblame。HewasagoodmanandIhaven’tforgottenthathesavedmylifethatmorningontheflats。AndI’msosorryforYOU。“

Shedidnotlookathim。

“John，“sheanswered，withasigh，“sometimesIthinkyou’dbettergetanotherhousekeeper。“

“What？Areyougoingtoleaveme？YOU？“

“Oh，’twouldn’tbebecauseIwantedto。Butitseemsalmostasiftherewasakindoffatehangin’overmeandthat，“shesmiledfaintly，“asif’twassortofcatchin’，asyoumightsay。

EverybodyIevercaredforhashadsomethin’happento’em。Mybrotherdied；my——themanImarriedwenttothedogs；thenyouandGracehadtobemiserableandIhadtohelpmakeyouso；IsentNatawayandheblamedmeand——“

“No，no。Hedidn’tblameyou。Hesentyouwordthathedidn’t。“

“Yes，buthedid，allthesame。He

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