f the bluff by the shore.

The man was John Ellery, the minister. Evidently, he had not gone home,
nor had he taken the short cut. Instead he had walked downtown a long
way and THEN turned in to cross the fields and work his way back.

Annabel put down the glass and, heedless of her father's calls, sat
thinking. The minister had deliberately deceived her. More than that, he
had gone to considerable trouble to avoid observation. Why had he done
it? Had he done the same thing on other Sunday afternoons? Was there
any real reason why he insisted on leaving the house regularly at four
o'clock?

Annabel did not know. Her eyes snapped and her sharp features looked
sharper yet as she descended the steps to the attic. She did not know;
but she intended to find out.

CHAPTER X

IN WHICH KEZIAH'S TROUBLES MULTIPLY

Keziah was getting worried about her parson. Not concerning his
popularity with his congregation. She had long since ceased to worry
about that. The young minister's place in his people's regard was now
assured, the attendance was increasing, and the Regular church was
now on a firmer footing, financially and socially, than it had been
in years. Even Mrs. Rogers and Lavinia Pepper had ceased to criticise,
except as pertained to unimportant incidentals, and were now among the
loudest of the praise chanters. And as Captain Zeb Mayo said: "When
Didama and Laviny stops fault-findin', the millennium's so nigh port a
feller ought to be overhaulin' his saint uniform."

But what worried Mrs. Coffin was John Ellery's personal appearance and
behavior. He had grown perceptibly thinner during the past month, his
manner was distrait, and, worst of all in the housekeeper's eyes, his
appetite had fallen off. She tried all sorts of tempting dishes, but the
result was discouraging.

"What!" she exclaimed. "Don't want but one piece of huckleberry pie?
Why, a week ago you ate three and looked kind of disappointed 'cause the
dish was empty. What is the matter? Are you sick?"

"No, Mrs. Coffin," replied the Reverend John. "No, I'm not sick. I just
don't feel hungry, that's all."

"Hum! Well, I've usually noticed that when a healthy man don't feel
hungry at dinner time, 'specially in the huckleberry season, his
healthiness is pretty shaky. What does ail you, Mr. Ellery? Got
somethin' on your mind? If you have, I'd heave it overboard. Or you
might unload it onto me and let me prescribe. I've had consider'ble
experience in th