nk you'd better get
another housekeeper."

"What? Are you going to leave me? YOU?"

"Oh, 'twouldn't be because I wanted to. But it seems almost as if there
was a kind of fate hangin' over me and that," she smiled faintly, "as if
'twas sort of catchin', as you might say. Everybody I ever cared for has
had somethin' happen to 'em. My brother died; my--the man I married went
to the dogs; then you and Grace had to be miserable and I had to help
make you so; I sent Nat away and he blamed me and--"

"No, no. He didn't blame you. He sent you word that he didn't."

"Yes, but he did, all the same. He must have. I should if I'd been in
his place. And now he's dead, and won't ever understand--on this earth,
anyhow. I guess I'd better clear out and leave you afore I spoil your
life."

"Aunt Keziah, you're my anchor to windward, as they say down here. If
I lost you, goodness knows where I should drift. Don't you ever talk of
leaving me again."

"Thank you, John. I'm glad you want me to stay. I won't leave yet
awhile; never--unless I have to."

"Why should you ever have to?"

"Well, I don't know. Yes, I do know, too. John, I had another letter
t'other day."

"You did? From--from that man?"

"Yup, from--" For a moment it seemed as if she were about to pronounce
her husband's name, something she had never done in his presence; but if
she thought of it, she changed her mind.

"From him," she said. "He wanted money, of course; he always does. But
that wa'n't the worst. The letter was from England, and in it he wrote
that he was gettin' sick of knockin' around and guessed he'd be for
comin' to the States pretty soon and huntin' me up. Said what was the
use of havin' an able-bodied wife if she couldn't give her husband a
home."

"The scoundrel!"

"Yes, I know what he is, maybe full as well as you do. That's why I
spoke of leavin' you. If that man comes to Trumet, I'll go, sure as
death."

"No, no. Aunt Keziah, you must free yourself from him. No power on earth
can compel you to longer support such a--"

"None on earth, no. But it's my punishment and I've got to put up with
it. I married him with my eyes wide open, done it to spite the--the
other, as much as anything, and I must bear the burden. But I tell you
this, John: if he comes here, to this town, where I've been respected
and considered a decent woman, if he comes here, I go--somewhere,
anywhere that'll be out of the sight of them that know me. And wherever
I go