es, or what
becomes of the girl after he's gone."

"Nat!"

"It's a fact. You see, dad realizes, better'n I thought he did, that his
health is pretty shaky and that he is likely to founder 'most any time.
He says that don't worry him; if he knew Grace and I were provided for
he'd slip his cable with a clean manifest. But the dream of his life, he
says, has been that we should marry. And he wants to see it done."

Keziah was silent for a moment. Then she said slowly:

"And Grace herself? How does she feel about it? Has he spoken to her?"

"I don't know. I guess likely he has. Perhaps that's why she's been so
sort of mournful lately. But never mind whether he has or not; I won't
do it and I told him so. He got red hot in a jiffy. I was ungrateful and
stubborn and all sorts of things. And I, bein' a Hammond, with some of
the Hammond balkiness in me, I set my foot down as hard as his. And we
had it until--until--well, until I saw him stagger and tremble so that I
actually got scared and feared he was goin' to keel over where he stood.

"'Why can't you?' he kept sayin'. 'But WHY can't you? Ain't she a girl
anyone would be proud to have for a wife?' 'Course there was no answer
to that but yes. Then back he comes again with 'Then why can't you?' At
last, bein' frightened, as I said, that he might have another shock or
somethin', I said I'd think it over and come away and left him. And I
come straight to you. Keziah, what shall I do? What can you say to help
me?"

Keziah was silent. She was looking, not at her companion, but at the
carpet center of one of the braided rugs on the floor. Her face was very
grave and the lines about her mouth seemed to deepen. Her hands, clasped
in her lap, tightened one upon the other. But her voice was calm when,
at last, she spoke.

"Nat," she said, "there's only one thing I can say. And that's what your
father said: Why can't you?"

The captain sprang from his chair.

"What?" he cried incredulously. "What are you sayin'?"

"Just what your father said, Nat. Why can't you marry Grace? She's a
dear, good girl and--"

"That be--keelhauled! Keziah Coffin, you sit there and ask me why I
can't marry her! YOU do?"

"Yes, Nat."

"Keziah, you're crazy! Don't talk to me like that. We're not jokin' now.
You know why I can't marry her, nor anyone else in this round world but
you."

"Nat, I can't marry you."

"I know, I know. You're always sayin' that. But you don't mean it. You
can't me