as reported dead. This was denied, upon investigation, but soon another
rumor grew and spread; Grace Van Horne was with him, had taken him back
to the shanty, and insisted upon staying there until the doctor came.
Facing that dreadful disease and--It was wonderful--and queer.

At the Danielses' house the servant girl rushed into the dining room to
serve the toast and the story at one swoop. Captain Elkanah's dignity
deserted him for an instant and his egg spoon jingled to the floor.
Annabel's face turned a dull red. Her eyes flashed sparks.

"Pa!" she cried, "I--I--if you don't do something now I'll never--"

Her father shook his head warningly. "Debby," he said to the maid, "you
needn't wait."

Debby departed reluctantly. After the kitchen door had closed, Captain
Elkanah said: "My dear, we mustn't be too hasty in this matter.
Remember, Mr. Ellery is very sick. As for--for the Van Horne girl, we
haven't heard the whole truth yet. She may not be there at all, or it
may be just an accident--"

"Accident! Pa, you make me boil. Accident! Accidents like that don't
happen. If you let her stay there, or if--Oh, to think of it! And we
were calling him a hero and--and everything! Hero! he stayed there just
so she might--"

"Hush! hush, child!"

"I shan't hush. Pa, are you going to let him disgrace himself with HER?"

"No, no. Probably there ain't any idea of his marrying her. If there
is--"

"If there is you put him out of the church and out of this town. And
as for HER--O-oh! And we've been having him here at dinner and--and I
have--Oh, I shall die! I wish I WAS dead!"

Then followed hysterics and agony, greedily listened to by Debby, whose
ear was at the crack of the door. Captain Elkanah soothed and pleaded
and tried to pacify. It ended by his promising to investigate and, if
necessary, take steps 'immejitly.'

Lavinia Pepper sprung the mine on her brother. Kyan was horrified. He
had grown to be one of Ellery's most devoted worshipers.

"Smallpox!" he groaned. "The minister got the smallpox. Oh! that's
turrible."

"Ain't it?" observed his sister, also horrified, but rather relishing
the horror. "And if it hadn't been for Gracie Van Horne--"

"WHAT?"

"What's the matter with you? I say, if Gracie Van Horne hadn't happened
to meet him, wanderin' around, crazy as a coot, and toted him back--"

"Gracie--Van--Horne! Godfreys mighty! She--she met him? Where? Down to
Peters's grove, was it?"

"Peters's grove!