. But say! 'twas after twelve
when I came out. How'd you come to see me? What was your doin' up that
time of night?"

Mrs. Bascom's color deepened. She seemed put out by the question.

"So much racket a body couldn't sleep," she explained sharply. "I
thought the shingles would lift right off the roof."

"But you wa'n't lookin' at the shingles. You was lookin' at the
lighthouses; you jest said so. Emeline, was you lookin' for me? Was you
worried about me?"

He bent forward eagerly.

"Hush!" she said, "you'll wake up the other woman-hater."

"I don't care. I don't care if I wake up all creation. Emeline, I
believe you was worried about me, same as I was about you. More'n that,"
he added, conviction and exultation in his tone, "I don't believe 'twas
eggs that fetched you here this mornin' at all. I believe you came to
find out if we--if I was all right. Didn't you?"

"I didn't come to SEE you, be sure of that," with emphatic scorn.

"I know. But you was goin' to see Brown and find out from him. Answer
me. Answer me now, didn't--"

She stepped toward the door. He extended an arm and held her back.

"You answer me," he commanded.

She tried to pass him, but his arm was like an iron bar. She hesitated a
moment and then laughed nervously.

"You certainly have took to orderin' folks round since the old days,"
she said. "Why, yes, then; I did come to find out if you hadn't got
cold, or somethin'. You're such a child and I'm such a soft-headed fool
I couldn't help it, I cal'late?"

"Emeline, s'pose I had got cold. S'pose you found I was sick--what
then?"

"Why--why, then I guess likely I'd have seen the doctor on my way
through Eastboro. I shall be goin' that way to-morrer when I leave
here."

"When you leave here? What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I say. Miss Graham's goin' to Boston to-morrer, and I'm goin'
with her--as far as the city."

"But--but you're comin' back!"

"What should I come back here for? My summer job's over. If you want
to know, my principal reason for comin' here this mornin' was to say
good-by--to Mr. Brown, of course."

Seth's arm dropped. He leaned heavily against the doorpost.

"You're goin' away!" he exclaimed. "You're goin' away! Where?"

"I don't know. Back home, I s'pose. Though what I'll do when I get there
I don't know. I've sold the house, so I don't exactly know where I'll
put up. But I guess I'll find a place."

"You've sold your house? The house we used to live