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Andabigbellwasbooming。Thatwashischurchbellandhewouldbelateforthemeeting。
Someonewasspeakingtohim。Heknewthevoice。Hehadknownitalwaysandwouldknowitforever。Itwasthevoicehewantedtohear。“Grace！“hecalled。“Grace！Iwantyou。Don’tgo！Don’tgo！Grace！oh，mydear！don’tgo！“
Thenthevoicehadgone。No，ithadnotgone。Itwasstillthereandhehearditspeakingtohim，begginghimtolisten，pleadingwithhimtogosomewhere，goback，backtosomethingorother。Andtherewasanarmabouthiswaistandsomeonewasleadinghim，helpinghim。Hebrokedownandcriedchildishlyandsomeonecriedwithhim。
Earlythenextmorning，justasdaywasbreaking，abuggy，thehorsewhichdrewitgalloping，rockedandbumpeddownthelighthouselane。Dr。Parker，hisbrowsdrawntogetherandhislipssetwithanxiety，wasdriving。HehadbeenrousedfromsleepinthehotelatHyannisbyaboywithatelegram。“Comequick，“itread。“Mr。Ellerysick。“ThesenderwasNoahEllis，thelightkeeper。Thedoctorhadhiredafasthorse，riddenattopspeedtoBayport，gottenafreshhorsethereandhurriedon。Hestoppedathisownhousebutamoment，merelytorousehiswifeandaskheriftherewasanyfreshnews。Butshehadnotevenheardoftheminister’sseizure。
“Mysoul，Will！“shecried，“youdon’tthinkit’sthesmallpox，doyou？“
“Lordknows！I’mafraidso，“groanedherhusband。“WHATmademeleavehim？Ioughttohaveknownbetter。Ifthatboydies，I’llneverdrawanothereasybreath。“
Herushedout，sprangintothebuggy，anddroveon。Attheropes，earlyasitwas，hefoundasmallgroupwaitingandgazingattheshanty。Thelightkeeperwasthereandtwoorthreeothermen。
Theyweretalkingearnestly。
“Howishe，Noah？“demandedthedoctor，jumpingtotheground。
“Idon’tknow，doc，“repliedEllis。“Iain’theardsencelastnightwhenItelegraphedyou。“
“Haven’theard？Whatdoyoumeanbythat？Haven’tyoubeenwithhim？“
“No-o，“wastherathersheepishreply。“Yousee，I——Iwantedto，butmywife’sawfulscartI’llcatchitand——“
“Thedevil！“Dr。Parkersworeimpatiently。“Whoiswithhimthen？
Youhaven’tlefthimalone，haveyou？“
“No-o，“Noahhesitatedoncemore。“No-o，heain’talone。She’sthere。“
“She？Who？KeziahCoffin？“
“Idon’tcal’lateKeziah’sheardityet。Wewaswaitin’foryou’forewesaidmuchtoanybody。Butshe’sthere——the——theonethatfoundhim。Yousee，hewasoutofhisheadandwanderin’upthelane’mosttothemainroadandshe’dbeencallin’onKeziahandwhenshecomeawayfromtheparsonagesheheardhimhollerin’andgoin’onand——“
“Whodid？“
“Why“——thelightkeeperglancedathiscompanions——“why，doc，’twasGraceVanHorne。Andshefetchedhimbacktotheshantyandthencomeandgotmetotelegraphyou。“
“GraceVanHorne！GraceVan——DoyoumeantosaysheistherewithhimNOW？“
“Yes。Shewouldn’tleavehim。Sheseemed’mostascrazy’shewas。
Mywifeandme，we——“
ButParkerdidnotwaittoheartherest。Heranatfullspeedtothedooroftheshanty。Graceherselfopenedit。
“Howishe？“demandedthedoctor。
“Ithinkheseemsalittleeasier；atanyrate，he’snotdelirious。
He’sinthere。Oh，I’msothankfulyou’vecome。“
“Isthatthedoctor？“calledElleryweaklyfromthenextroom。“Isit？“
“Yes，“repliedParker，throwingoffhiscoatandhat。“Coming，Mr。
Ellery。“
“ForGod’ssake，doctor，sendheraway。Don’tletherstay。Makehergo。MakeherGO！I’vegotthesmallpoxandifshestaysshewilldie。Don’tyouunderstand？sheMUSTgo。“
“Hush，John，“saidGracesoothingly。“Hush，dear。“
Dr。Parkerstoppedshortandlookedather。Shereturnedthelook，butwithouttheslightestsemblanceofself-consciousnessorembarrassment。Shedidnotrealizethatshehadsaidanythingunusual，whichmustsoundinexplicablystrangetohim。Herthoughtswerecenteredinthatadjoiningroomandshewonderedwhyhedelayed。
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