went just the same. He was dreadful kind of dumpy and blue this
evenin'. Seemed to be sort of soggy in his mind. And why he never went
to meetin' with his dad and why his dad never asked him TO go is more'n
I can tell. Land of livin', how I do gabble! My grandmarm used to say
my tongue was loose at both ends and hung in the middle, and I guess she
wa'n't fur off the course. Good-by. Take care of yourself. You can put
what's left of that mock mince pie on the top shelf in the butt'ry and
you'd better heave a dish towel or sunthin' over it to keep the ants
out. There's more ants in this house than there is dollars, a good
sight. Betsy B., she's got a plan for keepin' of 'em out by puttin'
sassers of brimstone round the shelves, but I told her, s' I, 'THEM ants
don't care for no brimstone. They're used to it. Sometimes I b'lieve
they're sent by the everlastin' father of brimstone,' and she--"

She had reached the gate by this time, and Grace shut off the flow of
conversation by closing the door. Then she took a candle from the row
on the dining-room mantel, lighted it, and went up to her own room.
Standing before the old-fashioned bureau with its little oval mirror,
she hastily arranged her hair. She did not wish to go to the prayer
meeting at the chapel, but she felt that she must. The Come-Outer
gatherings, with their noisy singing and shouting, had grown more and
more repugnant to her.

And to-night, of all nights! How could she meet those people who had
known her since she was a child, who boasted of her as one of their
staunchest adherents, who believed in her and trusted her? How could she
meet them and talk with them, knowing what she knew and realizing that
they, too, would know it on the morrow? But her uncle would miss her and
be worried about her if she did not come. She could not bear to trouble
him now; she never loved him so dearly, was never so anxious to humor
his every wish as on this, perhaps the last evening they would spend
together. For, though she would not yet admit it, even to herself, her
decision was made, had really been made the first time John Ellery asked
her weeks before. Only the thought of what might happen to him if she
consented had caused her to hesitate so long.

She blew out the candle and came out into the hall at the head of the
stairs. She was about to descend when she heard voices. The door of the
dining room opened and closed. She felt certain that Nat had returned
and wondered