died
afore I heard it. But I didn't die and I have heard it. Now listen to
me. I love that girl of mine better'n the whole wide world and yet
I'd ruther see her dead afore me than married to a Reg'lar minister.
Disgrace to HIM! Disgrace to your miser'ble church! What about the
disgrace to MINE? And the disgrace to HER? Ruin to your minister! Ruin
to my girl here and hereafter is what I'm thinkin' of; that and my
people who worship God with me. I'll talk to Grace. I'll talk to
her. But not of what'll happen to him or you--or any of your cantin',
lip-servin' crew. I'll tell her to choose between him and me. And if she
chooses him, I'll send her out of that door. I'll do my duty and read
her out of my congregation. And I'll know she's gone to everlastin'
hell, and that's worse'n the poorhouse. That's all to-night, Elkanah.
Now you better go."

"Humph! Well, I declare! you ARE a bigoted--"

"Stop it! I've kept my hands off you so fur, because I'm the Lord's
servant. But I'm fightin' hard to keep down my old salt-water temper.
You go! There's the door."

"All right, all right! I don't care what you say, so long as it's said
so as to stop her from getting him--and said soon."

"It'll be said to-night. Now go! My people are waitin' at the chapel."

"You're not going to that prayer meeting after THIS?"

"Where else should I go? 'Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy
laden.' And--and"--his voice broke--"He knows that I AM heavy laden.
Lord! Lord! do help me, for this is more'n I can bear alone."

The lock turned; the door opened and closed. Grace, clinging to the
balusters, heard Captain Hammond cross the room, slowly and feebly.
She heard him enter the sitting room. Then she heard nothing more,
not another sound, though the minutes dragged on and on, endlessly,
eternally, and each with a message, a sentence repeated over and over
again in her brain. "If she really cares for him, she won't let him ruin
his life."

By and by, pale, but more composed, and with her mind made up, she came
down into the hall. Drawing a long breath, she turned into the sitting
room to face her uncle. By the light shining through the dining-room
door she saw him on his knees by the haircloth sofa. She spoke his name.
He did not answer nor look up. Alarmed, she touched him on the shoulder.
At her touch his arm slid from the couch and he fell gently over upon
his side on the carpet.

CHAPTER XII

IN WHICH CAPTAIN EBEN MAKES PORT