第44章

Shewonderedidlywhosecoatitmightbeandwhoitsfuturewearerwastomarry。ThisremindedheroftheministerandGrace。Theywouldbehappynow，hertalkwithNathadassuredherofthat，andthey，too，wouldbemarriedoneofthesedays。Butshewouldnotattendthewedding。ShewonderedwhatJohnhadsaidwhenhereadhernote。HeandGracewouldbesorryforher，ofcourse；buttherewasnothingtheycoulddotohelp。Noonecouldhelpher，noone。PerhapsbythistimethemanshehadrunawayfromhadreachedTrumetandhersecretwasknown。HowDidamaandtherestwouldspreadthetale！HowCaptainElkanahandAnnabelwouldsneerandexult！Theyhatedherbecauseshewastheminister’sfriend。

AndNat，poorfellow，whatwouldhedo？Well，atleasthewouldunderstandnow。

Thenarrowstairwayleadinguptotheworkshopendedinalittleboxed-inroomwherethefinishedgarmentswerehungtoawaitthefinalpressing。Frombehindthecloseddoorofthisroomcamethesoundofvoices，apparentlyinheatedargument。OneofthesevoiceswasthatofLarry，theerrandboy。Larrywasspeakingshrillyandwithemphasis。Theothervoicewaslowerinkeyandthewordswereinaudible。

“No，sir，youcan’t，“declaredLarry。“Youcan’t，Itellyou。Thebossdon’tletnobodyinthereand——Holdon！Holdon！“

Theothervoicemadeashortbutevidentlyearnestanswer。Larryagainexpostulated。Theworkerslookedupfromtheirsewing。ThedooropenedandLarryappeared，flushedandexcited。

“Where’sMr。Upham？“hedemanded。“Mr。Upham！“

Uphamwastheforemanoftheworkroom。Atthemomenthewasdownstairsinconversationwiththeheadofthehouse。Ahalfdozengavethisinformation。

“What’sthematter？Whoisit？“askedseveral。

“Idon’tknowwho’tis。It’samanandhe’scrazy，Ithink。I

toldhimhecouldn’tcomeinhere，buthejustkeepscomin’。HewantstoseesomebodynamedCoffinandthereain’tnoCoffinshere。“

Keziahbentlowerovertheweddingcoat。Herhandshookandshedroppedtheneedle。

“Itoldhimwedidn’tkeepcoffins，“declaredLarry。“Thisain’tnoundertaker’s。Where’sMr。Upham？“

Keziah’snearestneighborleanedtowardher。

“Iguessit’ssomebodytoseeyou，“shesaid。“YournameisCoffin，ain’tit？“

“No，no。Thatis，itcan’tbeanybodytoseeme。Idon’twanttoseeanybody。Tellhimso，whoeveritis。Ican’tseeanybody。

I——NAT！“

Hestoodinthedoorway，beckoningtoher。

“Keziah，“hesaid，“comehere。Iwantyou。I’lltellyouwhyinaminute。Come！“

Shehesitated。Inameasureshewasrelieved，forshehadfearedthemanatthedoormightbeherhusband。Butshewasgreatlyagitatedandtroubled。Everyoneintheplacewaslookingather。

“Nat，“shesaid，tryingtospeakfirmly，“Ican’tseeyounow。I’mverybusy。Pleasegoaway。“

“Come！“

“Ican’tcome。Goaway。Please！“

“Keziah，I’mwaitin’。AndI’mgoin’towaitifIstayhereallnight。Come！“

Sheobeyedthen。Shecouldnothaveascenethere，beforeallthosestrangers。Shesteppedpasthimintothelittleroom。Hefollowedandclosedthedoor。

“Nat，“shesaid，turningtohim，“whydidyoucome？Howcouldyoubesocruel？I——“

Heinterruptedher，butnotwithwords。Thenextmomenthisarmswereaboutherandshewaspressedtightagainstthebreastofhisbluejacket。

“Keziah，“hewhispered，“I’vecometotakeyouhome。Homeforgood。No，staywhereyouareandI’lltellyouallaboutit。

PraisebetoGod！we’reofftherocksatlast。Allthat’sleftistotowyouintoport，and，bytheeverlastin’，that’swhatI’mherefor！“

WhenUphamcameupthestairsafterhislonginterviewwith“theboss，“hefoundthedooratthetopclosed。Whenherattledthelatchthatdoorwasopenedbyastranger。

“AreyouMr。Hallett？“askedCaptainNatbriskly。

“No，I’mnot。Mr。Hallettisinhisofficeonthefirstfloor。

Butwhat——“

“Onthemaindeck，hey？Well，allright；wewon’ttroublehim。

You’lldojustaswell；Ijudgeyou’reoneofthematesofthiscraft。YoutellMr。Hallettthatthisladyherehasdecidednottocruisewithhiman

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