e. Then he confided, as a strict
secret, the fact that the two were engaged. Before his hearers had
recovered from the shock of this explosion, he was justifying the
engagement. Why shouldn't they marry if they wanted to? It was a free
country. The girl wasn't a Come-Outer any longer, and, besides--and this
carried weight in a good many households--what a black eye the marriage
would be for that no-account crowd at the chapel.

Captain Zebedee, having shipped with the insurgents, worked for them
from sunrise to sunset and after. Zeb was something of a politician and
knew whom to "get at." He sought his fellows on the parish committee and
labored with them. Mrs. Mayo and the doctor's wife championed the cause
at sewing circle. They were lively, those sewing meetings, and the fur
flew. Didama Rogers and Lavinia Pepper were everywhere and ready to
agree with whichever side seemed likely to win. Lavinia was so deeply
interested that she forgot to catechise Abishai further about his
untimely reference to Peters's grove. And Kyan, puzzled but thankful,
kept silence.

It was by no means a one-sided struggle. Captain Elkanah, spurred on by
the furious Annabel, marshaled his forces and proclaimed that Ellery,
having disgraced the Regular Society, should no longer occupy its
pulpit.

"If he does," thundered Elkanah, "I shall never cross the threshold of
that church. And I've worshiped there for fifty years. Hum--ha! I should
like to know whose money has gone more liberal for that meeting house
than mine! But not another cent--no, sir! not one--if that licentious
young scamp continues to blaspheme there."

He hinted concerning a good-sized contribution toward a parish house,
something the society needed. If Ellery was discharged, the contribution
would probably be made, not otherwise. And this was a point worth
considering.

Daniels also wrote to his influential friends of the National Regular
Society. But Captain Zebedee had forestalled him there and both letters
were laid on the table to await further developments. As for the
Come-Outers, they were wild with rage and Grace was formally read out of
their communion.

"I wonder," shrieked Ezekiel Bassett, in prayer meeting, "what the
sperrit of the good and great man who used to lead us from this 'ere
platform would say if he was here now? Hey? what would he say?"

Josiah Badger upreared his lanky person. "I dreamed about Cap'n
Eben t'other n-nin-nun-night," he stammered.