't his fault. HIS conscience'll be clear. Land sakes!
if I could clean house as easy as some folks clear their consciences I
wouldn't have a backache this minute. Yes, the wages are agreed on, too.
And totin' them around won't make my back ache any worse, either," she
added drily.

Grace extended her hand.

"Well, Aunt Keziah," she said, "I'm ever and ever so glad for you.
I know you didn't want to leave Trumet and I'm sure everyone will be
delighted when they learn that you're going to stay."

"Humph! that includes Laviny Pepper, of course. I cal'late Laviny's
delight won't keep her up nights. But I guess I can stand it if she can.
Now, Grace, what is it? You AIN'T real pleased? Why not?"

The girl hesitated.

"Auntie," she said, "I'm selfish, I guess. I'm glad for your sake; you
mustn't think I'm not. But I almost wish you were going to do something
else. You are going to live in the Regular parsonage and keep house
for, of all persons, a Regular minister. Why, so far as my seeing you is
concerned, you might as well be in China. You know Uncle Eben."

Keziah nodded understandingly.

"Yes," she said, "I know him. Eben Hammond thinks that parsonage is
the presence chamber of the Evil One, I presume likely. But, Grace, you
mustn't blame me, and if you don't call I'll know why and I shan't blame
you. We'll see each other once in a while; I'll take care of that. And,
deary, I HAD to do it--I just had to. If you knew what a load had been
took off my mind by this, you'd sympathize with me and understand. I've
been happier in Trumet than I ever was anywhere else, though I've seen
some dark times here, too. I was born here; my folks used to live here.
My brother Sol lived and died here. His death was a heavy trouble to
me, but the heaviest came to me when I was somewheres else and--well,
somehow I've had a feelin' that, if there was any real joys ever planned
out for me while I'm on this earth, they'd come to me here. I don't know
when they'll come. There's times when I can't believe they ever will
come, but--There! there! everybody has to bear burdens in this life, I
cal'late. It's a vale of tears, 'cordin' to you Come-Outer folks, though
I've never seen much good in wearin' a long face and a crape bathin'
suit on that account. Hey? What are you listenin' to?"

"I thought I heard a carriage stop, that was all."

Mrs. Coffin went to the window and peered into the fog.

"Can't see anything," she said. "'Tain't anybod