He smiled faintly.

"Mr. McGowan, you are not going to disappoint me, are you?"

"Would it make much difference? You seem to have already formed your
opinion from the things you have heard."

"If you are going to give up like that it will make no difference what
you do. I thought you were more of a man than that."

She turned and ran up the path. At the top of the pile of stones she
stopped, her slim outline silhouetted in clear-cut lines against a patch
of moonlight, and her loosened hair giving the suggestion of a halo as
the mellow light played through. She lifted her hand as she declared,
"And you are more of a man. I do not believe that whatever Father thinks
he has found out can harm you in the least. That is what we really
quarreled about to-day. Does that tell you how much I care? 'Now is the
time when you need to summon every ounce of self-control you possess.
When other men are seeking to land the knock-out blow you should keep
your head the coolest, for unless you do you cannot make your best
calculations.' You see, I have not forgotten, and neither must you. And
in everything, Mack," she finished, hurriedly.

The rear gate clicked, and she sent him a light trill.

The minister went to his study as soon as he reached home. For hours he
sat, his mind a blank. He was roused at last by the opening of his study
door. He looked up into the face of his old friend. The blue eyes,
usually clear and steady, had a faded look as though the fire in them
had suddenly gone out.

CHAPTER XI

"I've been shut up with the most onreasonable feller I ever see in all
my life," said the Captain to the unasked question in the minister's
eyes. "I cal'late I'll keep my thoughts to myself to-night, Mack, and
sleep on them. The way I feel wouldn't be conducive to prayer-meeting
language. Good night, son."

It was scarcely daylight when Miss Pipkin began work in the kitchen on
the following morning. Shortly afterward the Captain descended.

"Morning, Clemmie." He held the kitchen door ajar, and his voice wavered
as he spoke.

Miss Pipkin did not reply. The Captain, to reinforce his courage,
stepped back into the dining-room. Miss Pipkin walked over and closed
the door. This spurred the seaman to action. He cautiously pushed the
door open again, and peeped through a narrow crack.

"Clemmie, be you in there?"

"Where else do you think I'd be, down the well?"

"Can't I talk to you, Clemmie?"

"No. I don't want