he leaned back in the chair and put her hand to her
forehead.

She was sitting thus when the door of the dining-room opened and a voice
hailed: "Ahoy there! Anybody on deck?"

She turned to see Captain Obed Bangs' cheery face peering in at her.

"Hello!" cried the captain, entering the room and tossing his cap on the
table. "You're here, are you? I was lookin' for you and Imogene said she
cal'lated you was aboard ship somewheres, but she wa'n't sartin where.
I've come to get that second mate of mine. I'm goin' off with a gang
to take up the last of my fish weirs and I thought maybe the little
shaver'd like to go along. I need help in bossin' the fo'mast hands, you
see, and he's some consider'ble of a driver, that second mate is.
Yes sir-ee! You ought to hear him order 'em to get up anchor. Ho! ho!
I--Hey? Why--why, what's the matter?"

Thankful's face was still pale and she was trembling.

"Nothin', nothin', Cap'n Bangs," she said. "I've had a--a surprise,
that's all."

"A surprise! Yes, you look as if you had." Then, noticing the letter in
her lap, he added. "You ain't had bad news, have you?"

"No. No, not exactly. It's good news. Yes, in a way it's good news,
but--but I didn't expect it and--and it has shook me up a good deal.
. . . And--and I don't know what to do. Oh, I don't know WHAT I'd ought
to do!"

The distress in her tone was so real that the captain was greatly
disturbed. He made a move as if to come to her side and then,
hesitating, remained where he was.

"I--I'd like to help you, Thank--er--Mrs. Barnes," he faltered,
earnestly. "I like to fust-rate, if--if I could. Ain't there--is there
anything I could do to help? Course you understand I ain't nosin' in
on your affairs, but, if you feel like tellin' me, maybe I--Look
here, 'tain't nothin' to do with that cussed Holliday Kendrick or his
meanness, is it?"

Thankful shook her head. "No," she said, "it isn't that. I've been
expectin' that and I'd have been ready for anything he might do--or
try to do. But I wasn't expectin' THIS. How COULD anybody expect it? I
thought he was dead. I thought sure he must be dead. Why, it's six year
since he--and now he's alive, and he wants--What SHALL I do?"

Captain Obed took a step forward.

"Now, Mrs. Barnes," he begged, "I wish you would--that is, you know if
you feel like it I--well, here I am. Can't I do SOMETHIN'?"

Thankful turned and looked at him. She was torn between an intense
desire to make a c