k? Who wants him?"

"And--and--all the rest of the houses round here was shut up 'cause
everybody's to meetin'. I peeked in at the meetin' house and he ain't
there, and I see your light and--"

"Who's sick? Tell me that, won't you?"

"Cap'n Eben. He's awful sick. I cal'late he's goin' to die, and Gracie,
she--"

"Cap'n Eben? Eben Hammond! Dyin'? What are you talkin' about?"

"Huh! huh!" puffed the messenger impatiently. "Didn't I tell ye? Cap'n
Eben's adyin'. I seen him. All white and still and--and awful. And
Gracie, she's all alone and--"

"Alone? Where's Nat?"

"She don't know. He ain't to home. But I got to find Dr. Parker."

"Hold on! Stop! I'll tell you where the doctor is most likely. Up to
Mrs. Prince's. She's been poorly and he's prob'ly been called there.
Run! run fast as ever you can and get him and I'll go to Grace this
minute. The poor thing! Have you told anybody else?"

"No, no! ain't seen nobody but you to tell. They was prayin' over to
meetin', and the fellers that waits outside to keep comp'ny with the
girls ain't got there yet. And I never met nobody. And 'twas so blasted
dark I fell down four times and tore my best pants and--"

"S-sh-sh! Listen to me! Don't tell anybody. Not a soul but the doctor.
Half this town'll be runnin' to find out if you do, and that poor girl
must be distracted already. I'll go to her. You get Dr. Parker and tell
him to hurry."

"I'll tell him; don't you fret."

He was gone, running harder than ever. A moment later Keziah followed
him, running also.

It was a misty, black night, and Trumet sidewalks were uneven and hard
to navigate. But she stumbled on, up the main road to the Corners, down
the "Turn-off," past the chapel of the Come-Outers, from the open window
of which sounded the drone of a high, nasal voice. Josiah Badger was
"testifying," and Keziah caught a fragment of the testimony as she
hurried by.

"I says to 'em, says I, I says to 'em, 'I don't care about your smart
mum-mum-minister and what fine sermons he preaches. Let him BE smart,' I
says. Says I, 'Smartness won't g-g-g-git ye into heaven.' ("Amen!") 'No,
sirree! it takes more'n that. I've seen smart folks afore and they got
c-c-cuk-catched up with sooner or later. Pride goes ahead of a tumble,
I've heard tell, and--"

This was all that Keziah heard of Mr. Badger's testimony, for, as she
ran on, a rattle of wheels and the thud of hoofs came from behind her.
Then a rocking chaise, drawn by a