or the Lord,
but how about me? I needed him more than they did up there, or I think I
did. O Mr. Ellery, I don't mean to be irreverent, but WHY was it all for
the best?"

Questions like this are hard to answer. The young minister tried, but
the answers were unsatisfactory, even to him.

"And there's Nat Hammond," continued Mrs. Prince. "A fine man--no better
anywhere, even though his father was a Come-Outer--just goin' to
be married and all, now they say he's drowned--why? Why was that
necessary?"

Ellery could not reply. The old lady did not wait for him to do so. The
mention of Captain Nat's name reminded her of other things.

"Poor Gracie!" she said. "It's turrible hard on her. I went down to see
her two or three times afore I was took with this backache. She's an
awful nice girl. And pretty as a pink, too. Don't you think so? Hey?
don't you?"

"Yes."

"Yes. I've been kind of expectin' she might get up to see me. Hannah
Poundberry told the Berrys that she said she was comin'. I don't care
about her bein' a Come-Outer. I ain't proud, Mr. Ellery. And there's
Come-Outers and COME-Outers. Proud! Lord 'a' mercy! what has an old
woman, next door to the poorhouse, got to be proud over? Yes, she told
Hannah she was comin', and the Berry folks thought it might be to-day.
So I've been watchin' for her. What! you ain't agoin', Mr. Ellery?"

"I think I must, Mrs. Prince."

"Oh, don't! Do stay a spell longer. Gracie might come and I'd like
for you to meet her. She needs sympathy and comfort an awful lot, and
there's no tellin', you might convert her to bein' a Reg'lar. Oh, yes,
you might. You've got the most persuadin' way, everybody says so. And
you don't know her very well, do you? Land sakes alive! talk about
angels! I snum if she ain't comin' up the road this blessed minute."

John Ellery had risen. Now he seized his hat and moved hastily toward
the door. Mrs. Prince called to him to remain, but he would not.
However, her good-bys delayed him for a minute, and before he reached
the yard gate Grace was opening it. They were face to face for the first
time since they had parted in the grove, so many months before.

She was thinner and paler, he saw that. And dressed very quietly in
black. She looked at him, as he stood before her in the path, and her
cheeks flushed and her eyes fell. He stepped aside and raised his hat.

She bowed gravely and murmured a "Good afternoon." Then she passed on up
the path toward the d