uncle's voice as he answered.

"My own family?" he repeated slowly. "My own--And the Reg'lar
church--What do you mean? Has Nat--"

"No, he ain't. But that cussed girl of yours--"

"Stop!" Eben's shout rang through the house. The listener heard it,
rose, and then sank slowly to her knees.

"Stop!" shouted Captain Hammond. "Elkanah Daniels, for your own sake
now, be careful. If you dast to say a word, another word like that,
I'll--"

"If I dast! The hussy! But there's no use talkin' to you. You're as
crazy as a Bedlamite. Either that, or you're in the game with her. If
you are, I warn you--"

"Stop! What game? What do you mean? Gracie! My Grace! What is it? For
mercy sakes, Elkanah--"

"Humph! I wondered if I couldn't get some sense into you, finally. Lock
that door!"

"I will! I will! But Elkanah--"

"Lock it! Give me the key!"

The click of the lock sounded sharply.

"Where's the lamp?" demanded Daniels. "And the matches? Don't stand
there shaking."

A smell of sulphur floated out into the hall. Then the sickly glow of
the "fluid" lamp shone through the doorway.

"What ails you?" asked Elkanah. "Are you struck dumb? Now go and see if
there's anybody else in the house."

"But--but there ain't. I know there ain't. Hannah's gone and Gracie's at
meetin' by this time."

"She? Humph! Well, maybe she's at meeting and maybe she isn't. Maybe
she's over in Peters's pines, hugging and kissing that man she's met
there every Sunday for I don't know how long--Here! let go, you old
fool! Let go, I tell you!"

A chair fell to the floor with a bang. There was the sound of hard
breathing and rapid footsteps.

"Let go!" panted Daniels. "Are you crazy? Take your hands off me!"

"You liar!" snarled Captain Eben. "You low-lived liar! By the Almighty,
Elkanah Daniels! I'll--You take that back or I'll choke the everlastin'
soul out of you. I will--"

"Let go, you lunatic! You'll kill yourself. Listen! I'm not lying. It's
the truth. She's met a man, I tell you. Been meeting him for months, I
guess. There! now will you listen?"

The footsteps had ceased, but the heavy breathing continued.

"A man!" gasped Eben. "A man! Gracie! It's a--Who is he? What's his
name?"

"His name's John Ellery, and he's minister of the Regular church in this
town; that's who he is! Here! hold up! Good Lord! are you dying? Hold
up!"

The girl on the stairs sprang to her feet. Her head was reeling and she
could scarcely stand, but she b