and the man I married."

He looked at her as if he thought she had lost her wits.

"The man you married?" he replied. "Why, the man you married is dead."

"No, he ain't. You remember the letter you saw me readin' that night
when you come back from Come-Outers' meetin'? Well, that letter was from
him. He's alive."

For the first time during the interview the minister rose to his feet,
shocked out of his despair and apathy by this astounding revelation.

"Alive?" he repeated. "Your husband ALIVE? Why, Mrs. Coffin, this is--"

She waved him to silence. "Don't stop me now," she said. "I've told so
much; let me tell the rest. Yes, he's alive. Alive and knockin' round
the world somewheres. Every little while he writes me for money and, if
I have any, I send it to him. Why? Why 'cause I'm a coward, after all,
I guess, and I'm scared he'll do what he says he will and come back.
Perhaps you think I'm a fool to put up with it; that's what most folks
would say if they knew it. They'd tell me I ought to divorce him. Well,
I can't, I CAN'T. I walked into the mess blindfold; I married him in
spite of warnin's and everything. I took him for better or for worse,
and now that he's turned out worse, I must take my medicine. I can't
live with him--that I can't do--but while HE lives I'll stay his wife
and give him what money I can spare. That's the duty I told you was laid
on me, and it's a hard one, but I don't run away from it."

John Ellery was silent. What could he say? Keziah went on.

"I don't run away from it," she exclaimed, "and you mustn't run away
from yours. Your church depends on you, they trust you. Are you goin'
to show 'em their trust was misplaced? The girl you wanted is to marry
another man, that's true, and it's mighty hard. But she'll marry a good
man, and, by and by, she'll be happy."

"Happy!" he said scornfully.

"Yes, happy. I know she'll be happy because I know she's doin' what'll
be best for her and because I know him that's to be her husband. I've
known him all my life; he's that other one that--that--and I give him up
to her; yes, I give him up to her, and try to do it cheerful, because I
know it's best for him. Hard for YOU? Great Lord A'mighty! do you think
it ain't hard for ME? I--I--"

She stopped short; then covering her face with her apron, she ran from
the room. John Ellery heard her descending the stairs, sobbing as she
went.

All that afternoon he remained in his chair by the window. It wa