And I never told nobody afore, anyhow. I got to move
along. I'll--"

"Stay where you are. I guess I'll run right up and ask your sister about
this. Perhaps she might--"

"Ss-sh! ss-sh! don't talk that way, Keziah. Don't! Laviny don't know
what I mean. Don't go askin' HER things."

"But you said--"

"I just said I knew where Mr. Ellery goes every Sunday afternoon. He
don't know anybody knows, but I do. That's all there is to it. I shan't
tell. So--"

"Tell? Do you mean there's somethin' Mr. Ellery wouldn't want told?
Don't you dare--I WILL see Laviny!"

"No, no, no, no! 'Tain't nothin' much. I just know where he goes after
he leaves Elkanah's and who he goes to meet. I--Lordy! I hadn't ought to
said that! I--Keziah Coffin, don't you ever tell I told you. I've said
more'n I meant to. If it comes out there'd be the biggest row in the
church that ever was. And I'd be responsible! I would! I'd have to go
on the witness stand and then Laviny'd find out how I--Oh, oh, oh! what
SHALL I do?"

The poor frightened creature's "jig" had, by this time, become a
distracted fandango. But the housekeeper had no mercy on him. She was
beginning to fear for her parson and, for the time, everything else, her
own trouble and the recent interview with Nat, was pushed aside.

"What is it?" she persisted. "WHAT would bring on the row in the church?
WHO does Mr. Ellery meet? Out with it! What do you mean?"

"I mean that the minister meets that Van Horne girl every Sunday
afternoon after he leaves Elkanah's. There, now! It's out, and I don't
give a darn if they hang me for it."

Keziah turned white. She seized Mr. Pepper by the lapel of his Sunday
coat and shook him.

"Grace Van Horne!" she cried. "Mr. Ellery meets Grace Van Horne on
Sunday afternoons? Where?"

"Down in them pines back of Peters's pastur', on the aidge of the
bank over the beach. He's met her there every Sunday for the last six
weeks--longer, for what I know. I've watched 'em."

"You HAVE? YOU have! You've dared to spy on--I think you're lyin' to me.
I don't believe it."

"I ain't lyin'! It's so. I'll bet you anything they're there now,
walkin' up and down and talkin'. What would I want to lie for? You come
with me this minute and I'll show 'em to you."

In the desire to prove his veracity he was on his way to the door. But
Keziah stepped in front of him.

"'Bish Pepper," she said slowly and fiercely, shaking a forefinger in
his face, "you go straight home