“I’mnotfretting，butitdoesseemstrange。Icouldunderstandwhyoneshouldgo，perhaps，butnotboth。Didn’tGra——MissVanHornetellyouwhyshewent？“
“Well，now，Mr。Ellery，don’tlet’sworryaboutGracie。She’sagoodgirlwithlotsofcommonsenseand——“
“Iknowthat。Butthatdoesn’tanswerme。Whydidshego？“
“Keziahhadn’tbeentotheparsonagesencethatdaywhenyouwasfusttooksick，andIexpectlikelyshefeltthatshe’doughtto——“
“Please，Mrs。Higgins，tellmethetruth。I’mnotaskingaboutMrs。Coffin。Didn’tMissVanHornetellyouherreasonforleaving？“
“No，shedidn’t。“
“Butyouknowthereason？You’rekeepingsomethingfromme。Didshesaywhenshewouldcomeback？“
“No，notexactly，but，ofcourse——“
“Iknowyou’rekeepingsomethingfromme。Whathashappened？“
“Happened？Landsakes！doesanythingeverhappeninTrumet？“
“Ithinkagoodmanythingshavehappenedlately。AndthelongeryoukeepthetruthfrommethemoreIshallsuspect。“
“Mr。Ellery，yousetstillinthatchair，or，whenthedoctorcomes，he’llputyoutobed。I’vegotsomecookin’todoandI
can’tsetheregossipin’nolonger。Youbehaveyourselfandstopfrettin’。I’mskipperherenow——er——forawhile，anyhow——andyou’vegottotakeordersfromme。There！nowIcal’lateyou’rescared，ain’tyou？“
Hedidnotseemgreatlyfrightened，norinaweofhisnewskipper。
Instead，hewasevidentlypreparingtoaskmorequestions。Mrs。
Higginshurriedlyfledtothelivingroomandclosedthedoorbehindher。
Theministerheardherrattlingpansanddishesatagreatrate。
Thenoisemadehimnervousandhewishedshemightbemorequiet。
Hemovedtothechairnearestthewindowandlookedoutoverthedunesandthewidestretchoftumblingbluesea。Thesurfwasrollinguptheshore，themackerelgullswereswoopinganddippingalongthestrand，thebeachgrasswaswavinginthewind。A
solitaryfishboatwasbeatingoutpastthesparbuoy。ShewasalmostoverthespotwhentheSanJosehadfirstanchored。
Theviewwasafamiliarone。Hehadseenitinallweathers，duringastorm，atmorningwhenthesunwasrising，ateveningwhenthemooncameuptotipthewateryridgeswithfrostedsilver。Hehadlikedit，toleratedit，hatedit，andthen，aftershecame，lovedit。Hehadthoughtitthemostbeautifulsceneinalltheworldandonenevertobeforgotten。Thedingyoldbuilding，withitsbarewoodenwalls，hadbeenfirstahorror，thenaprison，andatlastapalaceofcontentment。Withthetwowomen，oneasecondmothertohim，andtheotherdearestofallonearth，hecouldhavelivedthereforever。Butnowtheoldprisonfeelingwascomingback。Hewastiredoftheviewandofthemeanlittleroom。Hefeltlonelyanddesertedanddespairing。
Hisnerveswerestillweakanditwaseasy，inhischildishcondition，tobecomedespondent。Hewentoverthewholesituationandfeltmoreandmoresurethathishopeshadbeenfalseonesandthathehadbuildedafool’sparadise。Afterall，heremembered，shehadgivenhimnopromise；shehadfoundhimillanddeliriousandhadbroughthimthere。Shehadbeenkindandthoughtfulandgracious，butthatshewouldbetoanyone，itwashernature。Andhehadbeencontent，weakashewas，tohavehernearhim，wherehewouldseeherandhearherspeak。Hermerepresencewassowonderfulthathehadbeensatisfiedwiththatandhadnotaskedformore。Andnowshehadgone。Mrs。Higginshadsaid“foradayortwo，“butthatwasindefinite，andshehadnotsaidshewouldreturnwhenthosetwodayshadpassed。Hewasbetternow，almostwell。Wouldshecomebacktohim？Afterall，conditionsinthevillagehadnotchanged。HewasstillpastoroftheRegularchurchandshewasaCome-Outer。Themanshehadpromisedtomarrywasdead——yes。Buttheotherconditionswerethesame。AndMrs。
Higginshadrefusedtotellhimthewholetruth；hewascertainofthat。Shehadrunawaywhenhequestionedher。
Herosefromthechairandstartedtowardthelivingroom。Hewouldnotbeputoffagain。Hewouldbeanswered。Hishandwasonthelatchofthedoorwhenthatdoorwasopened。Dr。Parkercamein。
Thedoctorwassmilingbroadly。Hisruddyfacewasactuallybeaming。Heheldouthishand，seizedtheminister’s，andshookit。
“Goodmorning，Mr。Ellery，“hesaid。“It’sagloriousday。Yes，sir，abullyday。Hey？isn’tit？“
Ellery’sanswerwasaquestion。
“Doctor，“hesaid，“whyhaveMrs。Coffinand——andMissVanHornegone？Hasanythinghappened？Iknowsomethinghas，andyoumusttellmewhat。Don’ttrytoputmeofforgivemeevasiveanswers。
Iwanttoknowwhytheyhavegone。“
Parkerlookedathimkeenly。“Humph！“hegrunted。“I’llhavetogetintoMrs。Higgins’swig。Itoldhernottoletyouworry，andyouhaveworried。You’reallofashake。“
“Nevermindthat。Iaskedyouaquestion。“
“Iknowyoudid。Now，Mr。Ellery，I’mdisappointedinyou。I
thoughtyouwereasensiblemanwhowouldtakecareofhishealth，nowthathe’dgotthemostofitbackagain。I’vegotnewsforyou——goodnews——butI’mnotsurethatIshalltellittoyou。“
“Goodnews！Dr。Parker，ifyou’vegotnewsformethatisgood，forHeaven’ssaketellit。I’vebeenimaginingeverythingbadthatcouldpossiblyhappen。Tellme，quick。Myhealthcanstandthat。“
“Ye-es，yes，Iguessitcan。Theysayjoydoesn’tkill，andthat’soneofthefewmedicalproverbsmadebyunmedicalmenthataretrue。Youcomewithmeandsitdowninthatchair。Yes，youwill。
Sitdown。“
Heledhispatientbacktothechairbythewindowandforcedhimintoit。
“There！“hesaid。“Now，Mr。Ellery，ifyouthinkyouareaman，asensibleman，whowon’tgotopieceslikeaten-year-oldyoungster，I’ll——I’llletyousithereforawhile。“
“Doctor？“
“Yousitstill。No，I’mnotgoingtotellyouanything。Yousitwhereyouareandmaybethenews’llcometoyou。Ifyoumoveitwon’t。Goingtoobeyorders？Good！I’llseeyoubyandby，Mr。
Ellery。“
Hewalkedoutoftheroom。ItseemedtoEllerythathesatinthatchairfortenthousandyearsbeforethedooragainopened。Andthen——
“Grace！“hecried。“OGrace！you——you’vecomeback。“
Shewasblushingred，herfacewasradiantwithquiethappiness，buthereyesweremoist。Shecrossedtheroom，bentoverandkissedhimontheforehead。
“Yes，John，“shesaid；“I’vecomeback。Yes，dear，I’vecomebackto——toyou。“
Outsidetheshanty，onthesidefarthestfromthelightanditsgroupofbuildings，thedoctorandCaptainNatHammondweretalkingwithMrs。Higgins。Thelatterwaswildlyexcitedandbubblingwithjoy。
“It’ssplendid！“sheexclaimed。“It’salmosttoofinetobelieve。
Nowwe’llkeepourminister，won’twe？“
“Idon’tseewhynot，“observedthedoctor，withquietsatisfaction。“ZebandIhadtheDanielscrowdlickedtoashoestringandnowthey’llstaylicked。TheparishcommitteeisthreetooneforMr。Elleryandthecongregationmorethanthat。
Keephim？Youbetwe’llkeephim！AndI’lldanceathiswedding——
thatis，unlesshe’sgotreligiousscruplesagainstit。“
Mrs。HigginsturnedtoCaptainNat。
“It’skindofhardforyou，Nat，“shesaid。“Butit’sawfulnobleandself-sacrificin’andeverybody’llsayso。Ofcoursetherewouldn’tbemuchsatisfactioninhavin’awifeyouknewcaredmoreforanotherman。Butstillit’sawfulnobleofyoutogiveherup。“
Thecaptainlookedatthedoctorandlaughedquietly。
“Don’tletmynobilityweighonyourmind，Mrs。Higgins，“hesaid。
“I’dmadeupmymindtodothisverythingaforeeverIgotbacktoTrumet。Thatis，ifGraciewaswillin’。AndwhenIfoundshewasnotonlywillin’butjoyful，I——well，Idecidedtoofferupthesacrificerightoff。“
“Youdid？YouDID？Why，howyoutalk！Ineverheardofsuchathinginmyborndays。“
“NorIneither，notexactly。Butthere！“withawinkatParker，“youseeI’vebeenoffamongstallthemKanakawomenandhowdoyouknowbutI’vefellinlove？“
“NatHAMMOND！“
“Oh，well，I——Whatisit，Grace？“
Shewasstandinginthedoorwayandbeckoningtohim。Hercheekswerecrimson，thebreezewastossingherhairaboutherforehead，andshemadeapicturethateventhepractical，unromanticdoctorappreciated。
“ByGeorge，Nat！“hemuttered，“you’vegotmorecouragethanI
have。If’twasmyjobtogiveheruptosomebodyelseI’dthinktwice，I’llbet。“
Thecaptainwenttomeether。
“Whatisit？“heasked。
“Nat，“shewhispered，“willyoucomein？Hewantstoseeyou。“
JohnEllerywasstillseatedinthechairbythewindow，buthenolongerlookedlikeaninvalid。Therewasnoworryorcareinhiscountenancenow，merelyawondrousjoyandserenehappiness。
Heheldouthishandsandthecaptainshookthemheartily。
“Mr。Ellery，“hesaid，“astheyusedtosayatthecircus，’Hereweareagain。’AndyouandIhavebeendoingallkindsofcircusacrobaticssinceweshooklast，hey？I’mgladyou’reprettynighoutofthesickbay——andthedoctorsaysyouare。“
“Captain，“beganEllery。Hammondinterruptedhim。
“Holdon！“hesaid。“Belayrightthere。IfyouandIaretocruiseinthesamefamily——andthat’swhatIhearislikelytohappen——Ical’latewe’llheaveoverboardthecap’nsandMisters。
Myname’s’Nathaniel’——’Nat’forshort。“
“Allright。Andmineis’John。’Captain——Nat，Imean——howcanI
everthankyou？“
“Thankme？Whatdoyouwanttothankmefor？Ionlyhandedoversomethin’thatwasn’tmineinthefirstplaceandbelongedtoyouallalong。Ididn’tknowit，thatwastheonlytrouble。“
“Butyourpromisetoyourfather。Ifeel——“
“Youneedn’t。ItolddadthatitwasjustasGracesaid。Shesaysshe’sgotabetterman，orwordstothateffect。And——Idon’tknowhowyoufeelaboutsuchthings，John——butIb’lievethere’sabroaderoutlookupaloftthanthereisdownhereandthatdadwouldwantmetodojustwhatIhavedone。Don’tworryaboutme。I’mdoin’therightthingandIknowit。Anddon’tpityme，neither。
ImadeupmymindnottomarryGrace——unless，ofcourse，shewassetonit——monthsago。I’mtickledtodeathtoknowshe’sgoin’tohaveasgoodamanasyouare。She’lltellyouso。Grace！Hello！
she’sgone。“
“Yes。ItoldherIwantedtotalkwithyoualone，forafewminutes。Nat，GracetellsmethatAuntKeziahwastheonewho——“
“Shewas。ShemetmeattheCohassetNarrowsdepot。Iwassettin’
inthecar，lookin’outofthewindowatthesandandsniffin’theCapeair。Bytheeverlastin’！thereain’tanyairorsandlike’emanywhereselse。IfeelasifIneverwantedtoseeapalmtreeagainaslongasIlive。I’dswapthewholeoftheSouthPacificforoneTrumetsandhillwithahuckleberrybushonit。Well，asI
startedtosay，Iwassettin’therelookin’outofthewindowwhensomebodytappedmeontheshoulder。Ilookedupand’twasher。
“Youcouldhaveblownmeoverwithafan。Bythejumpin’Moses，youcould！Yousee，I’dbeenthinkin’abouther——thatis，Iwas——“
Hehesitated，turnedred，coughed，andwenton。
“Iwassurprisedenoughtoseeher，Itellyou。WayupthereattheNarrows！Icouldn’thavesaidaword，anyway，andshenevergavemeachance。’Nat，’shesays，’don’ttalknow。Comewithme，quick，aforethetrainstarts。’
“StillIdidn’tsayanything，nothin’saneanyhow。’Keziah！’I
managedtostutter。’KEZIAH！’
“’Come！’saysshe。’Hurry！Iwantyoutogetoffhere。I’vecomehereonpurposetomeetyou。Imusttalkwithyou；it’simportant。
YoucangotoTrumetonthenexttrain，to-night。ButnowImusttalkwithyou。IMUST。Won’tyoupleasecome，Nat？’
“Well，Iwent。Theenginebellwasbeginnin’toringandwehadtomovelively，Itellyou。Iswungheroffthestepjustasthecarbeguntomove。AfterthesmokehadfadedawayaroundthenextbendIrealizedthatmyhathadfadedawayalongwithit。Yes，sir！