第42章

I’dleftitontheseat。Ha！ha！ha！“

Helaugheduproariously。Ellerylaughedinsympathy。

“However，Iwa’n’tworryin’abouthats，justthen。AllIwantedtodowasstandstill，likeafrozenimage，andstareather。Yousee，John，Ihadn’tlaideyesonafriend，oneoftherealhomemadekind，formoredaysthanIwantedtocount；andherewasoneof’em，oneofthebest，passedouttomeunexpectedandaheadoftime，likeasurprisepartypresent。SoIjustpumpedherhandupanddownandstared。Ididn’thaveanyexclusivemortgageonthestarin’bynomeans，forthedepotmasterandadozenorsoloaferswaslookin’atuswiththeirmouthswideopen。

“Iguessshenoticedit，forshesays，’Don’tstayhere，Nat。Comeinthewaitin’roomorsomewhereswherewecantalk。’

“Sointothewaitin’roomwewentandcometoanchoronthesettee。

Sixoreightoftheloaferssettledthemselveshandytothedoor，so’stheycouldpeekinoccasionally。IrememberItoldoneofthemnottostretchhisneckthatway’causehemightnevergetitbackintoshapeagainandinthegunnin’seasonthatwouldbedangerous。’Somenearsightedfellermighttakeyouforagoose，’I

says。Ho！ho！

“Andthen，John，wehadourtalk。SeemssheleftTrumetWednesdayafternoon。GottheliverystablemantodriveherasfurasBayport，hiredanotherteamthereandcomeontoSandwich。Stayedovernightthereandtookthemornin’trainwhichgottoCohassetNarrowsjustaheadoftheoneIwascomin’on。She’dbeensoafraidofbein’late，shesaid。ShemustseemeaforeIgottoTrumet。

“Well，shesawmeandtoldmethewholeyarnaboutyouandGrace。

Shetriedtobreakittomegently，soIwouldn’tfeeltoobad。

Sheknewitwouldbeashocktome，shesaid。Itwasashock，inaway，butasforfeelin’bad，Ididn’t。IthinktheworldofGrace。

I’ddoanythingshewantedmetodo；butmostthewaydownonthetrain——yes，andlongaforethat——I’dbeendreadin’mycomin’homeononeaccount。Idreadedtellin’herthat，unlessshewasrealsetonit，she’dbetternotmarryme。

“Yousee，John，I’vethoughtalotsenceI’vebeenaway。Hadconsider’bletimetodoitin。AndthemoreIthoughtthelessthatpromisetodadseemedright。I’dhavebetmysou-westerGracienevercaredformeinthewayagirloughttocareforachapshe’sgoin’toshipaspilotfortherestofherdays。And，asforme——well，I——Ihadmyreasonsfornotwantin’tomarryher。“

Hepausedagain，sighed，startedtospeak，andthensatsilent，lookingoutofthewindow。Ellerylaidahandonhisknee。

“Nat，“saidtheminister，“yousavedmylifeonce，doyourememberthat？Ido，ifyoudon’t。“

“Savedyourlife？Whatareyoutalkin’about？Oh！thattimeontheflats？Thatwasn’tsavin’yourlife，’twassavin’yourclothesfromgettin’awettin’。“

“No，itwasmorethanthat。AndnowIguessyou’vesaveditagain，youandGracebetweenyou。Yes，andAuntKeziah。Blessher！tothinkofhergoingwayuptheretomeetyouandhelpus！“

“Yes。’Twaslikeher，wasn’tit？ShesaidsheknewI’dheartheyarnwhenIgottoTrumet，butshewantedmetohearitjustasitwas，andnobodybutsheandGraceandyouknewthewholetruthaboutit。Soshecome。I’mgladshedid；notthatIshouldn’thavedonethesame，whoevertoldme，but——“

“Nat，Iwanttotellyousomething。Somethingthatonlyoneotherpersonknows。Gracedoesn’tknowityet。NeitherdoesAuntKeziah——thewholeofit。AndifsheknewItoldyouevenapartI’mafraidshewould，asshewouldsay，’skinmealive。’ButIoweher——andyou——morethanIcouldrepayifIlivedathousandyears。

SoI’mgoingtotellandtaketheconsequences。

Thecaptainlookedathim。“Well！“heexclaimed。“What’scomin’

now？Moresecrets？Blessedifthisain’tgettin’moreexcitin’

thantheSouthSeas。IusedtothinkexcitementinTrumetwasscurcerthancreaminpoorhousecoffee，butI’llhavetochangemymind。“

“Nat，when——thatmorningafteryourfatherdiedandafteryouandGracehadagreedto——to——“

“Todosomethin’neitherofuswantedtodo？Yes，I

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