“Listen！listentome！AnselCoffinisdead，Itellyou。Iknowit。Iknowallaboutit。ThatwaswhatIwantedtoseeyouabout。
DidKeziahtellyouoftheSanJoseandthesailorwhodiedofsmallpoxinthisverybuilding？Inthatroomthere？“
“Yes。John，you——“
“I’mnotraving。It’sthetruth。ThatsailorwasAnselCoffin。I
watchedwithhimandonenight，thenightbeforehedied，hespokeKeziah’sname。HespokeofNewBedfordandofTrumetandofher，overandoveragain。Iwassurewhohewasthen，butIcalledinEbenezerCapen，whousedtoknowCoffininNewBedford。Andherecognizedhim。Nat，assureasyouandIareherethisminute，AnselCoffin，AuntKeziah’shusband，isburiedintheTrumetcemetery。“
CHAPTERXXI
INWHICHMR。STONEWASHESHISHANDS
Mr。AbnerStone，ofStone&Barker，marineoutfittersandshipchandlers，withaplaceofbusinessonCommercialStreetinBoston，andabankaccountwhichcommandedrespectthroughoutthecity，wasfeelingratherirritableandoutofsorts。Poorrelationsarealwaysanuisance。Theyareforeverexpectingsomething，eithermoney——inMr。Stone’scasethisparticularexpectationwasusuallyfruitless——oremploymentorinfluenceorsomething。Mr。Stonewasrich，hehadbecomesobyhisownabilityandunaidedeffort。Hewassureofthat——oftenmentionedit，withmoreorlessmodesty，inthespeecheswhichhedeliveredtohisSunday-schoolclassandatthedinnersofvarioussocietiestowhichhebelonged。Hewasaself-mademanandwasconsciousthathehaddoneagoodjob。
Therefore，beingself-made，hesawnoparticularreasonwhyheshouldaidinthemakingofothers。Ifpeoplewerepoortheyoughttogetoverit。Povertywasadiseaseandhewasnodoctor。Hehadbeenpooroncehimself，andnoonehadhelpedhim。“Ihelpedmyself，“hewaswonttosay，withpride。Someofhisrivalsinbusiness，repeatingthisremark，smiledandaddedthathehadbeen“helpinghimself“eversince。
Mr。Stonehad“washedhishands“ofhiscousin，KeziahCoffin，orthoughthehad。AfterherbrotherSolomondiedshehadwrittentohim，askinghimtofindherapositionofsomekindinBoston。“I
don’twantmoney，Idon’twantcharity，“wroteKeziah。“WhatI
wantiswork。Canyougetitforme，Abner？Iwritetoyoubecausefatherusedtotellofwhatyousaidtohimaboutgratitudeandhowyouwouldneverrestuntilyouhaddonesomethinginreturnforwhathedidforyou。“
CaptainBenHall’skindnesswastheonethingMr。Stoneforgotwhenhesaidnoonehadeverhelpedhim。Hedislikedtoberemindedofit。Itwasalongwhileagoandthecaptainwasdead。However，beingreminded，hehadcalleduponafriendinthetailoringlineandhadobtainedforKeziahtheplaceofsewingwoman。ShedecidedtobecomehousekeeperattheTrumetparsonageandsonotifiedhim。
Thenhewashedhishandsofher。
Butnowhewascompelledtosoilthemagain。Keziahhadappearedathisoffice，withoutwarning，anddemandedthathefindheraposition。“Demanded“wastheproperword。Certainlyshehadnotbegged。Sheseemedtofeelthatherdemandwasrightandproper，andhisaccedingtoittheleasthecoulddo。
“Whatafineplaceyou’vegothere，Abner！“shesaid，inspectingtheofficeandthestore。“Ideclareit’sfinerthantheoneyouhadwhenyoufirstwentintobusiness，aforeyoufailed。Iwishfathercouldhavelivedtoseeit。He’dhaverealizedthathisjudgmentwasgood，eventhoughhisinvestmentwasn’t。“
CaptainHallhadinvestedlargelyinthatfirstbusiness，theonewhichfailed。Mr。Stonechangedthesubject。Laterinthedayheagainsoughthisfriend，thetailor，andKeziahwasinstalledintheloftofthelatter’sWashingtonStreetshop，besidetheotherwomenandgirlswhosewedandsewedfromseveninthemorninguntilsixatnight。Mr。Stonehadleftherthereandcomeaway，feelingthatanunpleasantmatterwasdisposedof。Hehadmadesomeinquiriesastowheresheintendedstaying，evenaddedahalf-
heartedinvitationtodinnerthateveningathishome。Butshedeclined。
“No，thankyou，Abner，“shesaid，“I’mgoin’tofindaboardin’
placeandI’djustassoonnobodyknewwhereIwasstayin’，forthepresent。Andthere’sonethingIwanttoaskyou：don’ttellasoulIamhere。Notasoul。Ifanyoneshouldcomeaskin’forme，don’tgive’emanysatisfaction。I’lltellyouwhysomeday，perhaps。Ican’tnow。“
ThiswaswhattroubledMr。Stoneashesatinhisoffice。Whyshouldthiswomanwishtohaveherwhereaboutskeptasecret？
Therewasareasonforthis，ofcourse。Wasitarespectablereason，ortheotherkind？Ifthelatter，hisownnamemightbeassociatedwiththescandal。Hewished，forthefiftiethtime，thattherewerenopoorrelations。
Aboycameintotheoffice。“Thereissomeoneheretoseeyou，Mr。Stone，“hesaid。
“Whoisit？“
“Idon’tknow，sir。Lookslikeaseafaringman，aseacaptain，I
shouldsay——buthewon’tgivehisname。Saysit’simportantandnobodybutyou’lldo。“
“Humph！Allright。Tellhimtowait。I’llbeoutinaminute。“
SeacaptainsandshipownerswereStone&Barker’sbestcustomers。
Theseniorpartneremergedfromtheofficewithasmileonhisface。
“Ah！“hesaid，extendinghishand。“Gladtoseeyou，Captain——er——“
“Hammond，“repliedthevisitor。“Sametoyou，Mr。Stone。“
“Fineweatherforthistimeofyear。“
“Fineenough，Mr。Stone。“
“Well，CaptainHammond，whatcanwedoforyou？Goingtosailsoon？“
“Notrightaway。Justmadeport，less’naweekago。Homelooksgoodtome，foraspell，anyhow。“
“So？Yes，Ihavenodoubt。Letmesee——whereisyourhome，captain？Ishouldremember，ofcourse，but——“
“Don’tknowwhyyoushould。Thisismyfirsttripinyourlatitude，Iguess。Myhome’satTrumet。“
“Trumet？“Mr。Stone’stonechanged。
“Yes。Trumet，downontheCape。Everbeenthere？Wethinkit’saboutasgoodaplaceasthereis。“
“Hu-u-m！Trumet？Well，CaptainHammond，youwishedtoseeme，I
understand。“
“Yes。Factis，Mr。Stone，IwanttoaskyouwhereIcanfindMrs。
KeziahCoffin。She’sarelationofyours，Ib’lieve，andshe’scometoBostonlately。Onlyyesterdayorthedayafore。Canyoutellmewheresheis？“
“Whydoyouwishtoseeher？“
“Oh，forreasons，personalones。She’safriendofmine。“
“Isee。No，captain，Ican’ttellyouwheresheis。Goodmorning。“
CaptainNatwasgreatlydisappointed。
“Holdonthere，justaminute，“hebegged。“Thisisimportant，youunderstand，Mr。Stone。I’mmightyanxioustofindKezi——Mrs。
Coffin。Wethought，someofherfriendsandI，thatmostlikelyyou’dknowwhereshewas。Can’tyougiveusanyhelpatall？
Hasn’tshebeenhere？“
“Goodmorning，CaptainHammond。Youmustexcuseme，I’mbusy。“
Hewentintotheofficeandclosedthedoor。CaptainNatrubbedhisforeheaddesperately。HehadbeenalmostsurethatAbnerStonewouldputhimonKeziah’strack。Gracehadthoughtso，too。SherememberedwhatthehousekeeperhadtoldconcerningherBostoncousinandhowthelatterhadfoundemploymentforherwhenshecontemplatedleavingTrumet，afterherbrother’sdeath。GracebelievedthatKeziahwouldgotohimatonce。
Natwalkedtothedoorandstoodthere，tryingtothinkwhattodonext。Asmartyoungperson，wearingaconspicuoussuitofclothes，aidedandabettedbyavividwaistcoatandapairofyouthfulbutpromisingsidewhiskers，camebrisklyalongthesidewalkandstoppedinfrontofhim。
“Well，sir？“observedthisperson，withcheerfulcondescension。
“AnythingIcandoforyou？“
CaptainNatturnedhisgazeuponthesidewhiskersandthewaistcoat。
“Hey？“hequeried。
“Isay，isthereanythingIcandoforyou？“
Thecaptainshookhishead。“No-o，“hedrawleddryly，“I’mafraidnot，son。Iadmitthatdon’tseemscarcelypossible，butIamafraidit’sso。“
“Lookingforsomethinginourline，wasyou？“
“Well，Idon’tknow。Whatmightbeonyourline——clothes？“
Thebewhiskeredonedrewhimselfup。“IamconnectedwithStone&
Barker，“hesaidsharply。“And，seeingyoustandinginourdoorway，Ithoughtpossibly——“
“Yes，yes。Begyourpardon，I’msure。No，Idon’twanttobuyanything。IcometoseeMr。Stoneonapersonalmatter。“
“He’sbusy，Isuppose。“
“Sohesays。“
Theyoungmansmiledwithserenesatisfaction。“I’mnotsurprised，“heobservedcomplacently。“WeAREabusyhouse，Mr——er——“
“Hammond’smyname。AreyouMr。Barker？“
“No-o，mynameisPrince。“
“So？Silentpartnerinthefirm，hey？“
“No-o，notexactly。Mr。Princewasslightlyembarrassed。“No，I
ama——asalesman——atpresent。WasthematteryouwishedtoseeMr。
Stoneaboutaveryprivateone？“
“Middlin’。’“
“Well，IaskedbecauseMr。Stoneisabusymanandweliketosavehimallthe——the——“
“Troubleyoucan，hey？That’sniceofyou，youmustsavehimalot，Mr——er——King，wasit？“
“No，Prince。“
“Sureandsartin’，Prince，ofcourse。Iknew’twasconnectedwiththeroyalfamily。Well，Mr。Prince，I’mafraidevenyoucan’thelpmenorhimoutthistime。I’mlookin’upafriendofmine，awidowladyfromdowntheCape。She’sarelationofMr。Stone’s，andshe’scometoBostondurin’thelastdayorso。Ithoughtlikelyhemightknowwhereshewas，that’sall。Thatwouldbealittleoutofyourlatitude，hey？“
“Idon’tknow。Hernamewasn’tCoffin，wasit？“
CaptainNatstarted。“Itcertainlywas，“heansweredeagerly。
“How’dyouknowthat？“
Mr。Prince’scomplacencewassuperb。“Oh，“heansweredwithcondescension，“Mr。Stonetrustsmewithagoodmanyofhispersonalaffairs。“
“Ishouldthinklikelyhewould。ButaboutMrs。Coffin？Youwasgoin’tosay？“
“SheiswithJamesHallett&Co。，thetailors，onWashingtonStreet。Mr。Stonefoundaplaceforherthere，Ibelieve。I——er——
er——superintendedthecarryingofhervaliseand——What？“
“Nothin’，nothin’。Hum！Hallett&Co。，tailors？WhatnumberWashin’tonStreetdidyousay？“
Mr。Princegavethenumber。
“Thankyoualot，“saidCaptainNat，withfervor。“Good-by，Mr。
Prince。HopethenexttimeIcomeyou’llbeinthefirm。Goodday，sir。“
“Goodday。NothingelseIcando？Andyouwon’twaitforMr。
Stone？Verygood。Isthereanymessageforhimthatyouwouldliketoleave？“
“Hey？“Nathadstartedtogo，butnowhepausedandturned。Therewasagrimtwinkleinhiseye。“Message？“herepeated。“Why，ye-
es，Idon’tknowbutthereis。YoujustgiveMr。StoneCap’nHammond’scomplimentsandtellhimI’mlookin’forwardtointerviewin’himsometime。Justtellhimthat，willyou？“
“I’lltellhim。Gladtohavemetyou，CaptainHammond。“
Thecaptainnoddedsolemnly。“Say，Mr。King，“hesaid，“youain’thalfsogladasIam。“
Mr。Princestruttedintothestore。
“Whowasthatchapyouweretalkingwith？“askedafellow-clerk。
“Oh，ahayseedwhowantedtoseetheoldman。Poorrelation，I
guess。Iheadedhimoff。Stoneisalwaystellingusthattimeismoney，soIsavedbothof’emforhim。Heoughttothankme。
Wouldn’tbesurprisedifIgottheraiseI’vebeenaskingfor。“
Mr。Princedidnotgettheraise，northethanks。Buthewassurprised。
IntheworkshopofHallett&Co。，Keziahsatsewingbusily。Thewindownearherwasclosed，stuckfast，andthroughthedingypanesshecouldseeonlyroofsandchimneys。Theotherwomenandgirlsnearherchattedandlaughed，butshewassilent。Shedidnotfeelliketalking，certainlynotlikelaughing。Thegarmentshewasatworkonwasacoat，aweddingcoat，sotheforemanhadtoldher，withasmile；thereforeshemustbeveryparticular。