第81章 IN WHICH KEZIAH DECIDES TO FIGHT(1)

The news was flying from house to house along the main road.

Breakfasts were interrupted as some neighbor rushed in to tell the story which another neighbor had brought to him or her.Mr.Ellery was very sick and it was feared he had the smallpox,that was what Mrs.Parker,the doctor's wife,told those who lived near her.By the time the Corners heard of it the tale had grown until the minister was said to be dying.And when it reached Gaius Winslow's home at the upper end of the town he was reported dead.This was denied,upon investigation,but soon another rumor grew and spread;Grace Van Horne was with him,had taken him back to the shanty,and insisted upon staying there until the doctor came.Facing that dreadful disease and--It was wonderful--and queer.

At the Danielses'house the servant girl rushed into the dining room to serve the toast and the story at one swoop.Captain Elkanah's dignity deserted him for an instant and his egg spoon jingled to the floor.Annabel's face turned a dull red.Her eyes flashed sparks.

Pa!she cried,I--I--if you don't do something now I'll never--Her father shook his head warningly.Debby,he said to the maid,you needn't wait.Debby departed reluctantly.After the kitchen door had closed,Captain Elkanah said:My dear,we mustn't be too hasty in this matter.Remember,Mr.Ellery is very sick.As for--for the Van Horne girl,we haven't heard the whole truth yet.She may not be there at all,or it may be just an accident--Accident!Pa,you make me boil.Accident!Accidents like that don't happen.If you let her stay there,or if--Oh,to think of it!And we were calling him a hero and--and everything!Hero!he stayed there just so she might--Hush!hush,child!

I shan't hush.Pa,are you going to let him disgrace himself with HER?No,no.Probably there ain't any idea of his marrying her.If there is--If there is you put him out of the church and out of this town.

And as for HER--O-oh!And we've been having him here at dinner and--and I have--Oh,I shall die!I wish I WAS dead!Then followed hysterics and agony,greedily listened to by Debby,whose ear was at the crack of the door.Captain Elkanah soothed and pleaded and tried to pacify.It ended by his promising to investigate and,if necessary,take steps 'immejitly.'

Lavinia Pepper sprung the mine on her brother.Kyan was horrified.

He had grown to be one of Ellery's most devoted worshipers.

Smallpox!he groaned.The minister got the smallpox.Oh!

that's turrible.

Ain't it?observed his sister,also horrified,but rather relishing the horror.And if it hadn't been for Gracie Van Horne--WHAT?

What's the matter with you?I say,if Gracie Van Horne hadn't happened to meet him,wanderin'around,crazy as a coot,and toted him back--Gracie--Van--Horne!Godfreys mighty!She--she met him?Where?

Down to Peters's grove,was it?

Peters's grove!No.What on earth made you think 'twas there?

She'd been visitin'Keziah Coffin at the parsonage,and when she come out on the main road she heard him aravin'down the lane.

Must have passed right by this house and we never heard him.Inever see such a dead man as you be when you're asleep.You don't SOUND dead,I'll say that for you,but nothin'wakes you up.Why,Laviny!you never woke up yourself.

That's right,lay it onto me.I expected you would;it's just like you.But why in time did you think Grace met the minister way down to Peters's grove?That's the most loony notion ever I heard,even from you.What made you think of it?Nothin',nothin'.I guess I WAS loony,maybe.Dear!dear!dear!

have you heard how's he's gettin'on?Is he took bad?I ain't heard nothin'yet,nobody has.But see here,'Bish Pepper,you act funny to me.I want to know more about that Peters's grove notion.WHY did you say it?Kyan wriggled upon the rack and dodged and squirmed for the next twenty minutes.He tried his best to keep the fateful secret,but he admitted too much,or not enough,and his sister kept up the cross-examination.At the end of the session she was still unsatisfied,but she was on the scent and her brother knew it.He fled to the woodshed and there punctuated his morning task of kindling chopping with groans and awful forebodings.

One of the very first to hear of the minister's illness was Keziah Coffin.Mrs.Parker told her and Keziah started for the beach before the tale of Grace's part in the night's happenings reached the village.She did not wait for a conveyance,hardly waited to throw a shawl over her shoulders,but began to cover the three miles on foot.She had walked nearly two thirds of the distance when Captain Zeb Mayo overtook her and gave her a seat in his chaise.

They said little during the drive,the shock and anxiety forbidding conversation.At the ropes was the same group,larger now,and Dr.

Parker's horse was hitched to one of the posts.

You can't go in,Mrs.Coffin,said Thoph Black.The doctor give us his orders not to let nobody get by.I guess nobody wants to,but all the same--Keziah paid not the slightest attention to Mr.Black.She stooped beneath his arm,under the rope and was on her way to the shanty before they realized her intention.Captain Zeb roared a command for her to return,but she kept on.No one followed,not even the captain.Mrs.Mayo had strictly forbidden his passing the dead line.

Keziah opened the door and entered the little building.The living room was empty,but at the sound of her step some one came from the room adjoining.That some one was Grace.

Aunt Keziah!she cried.What did you come here for?Why did you?Gracie!exclaimed the housekeeper.You?--YOU?Dr.Parker appeared,holding up a hand for silence.

Hush!he cried.He's quiet now and I think he will sleep.

Don't talk here.Go outside,if you must talk--and I suppose you must.Grace led the way.Fortunately,the door was on the side not visible from the spot where Captain Zeb and the rest were standing.

Keziah,bewildered and amazed at the girl's presence,followed dumbly.