a few weeks after the committee meeting, the
Regular church was crowded. John Ellery was to preach his first sermon
since the San Jose came ashore. Every member of the congregation was
present. Even Mrs. Prince, feeble but garrulous, was there. Gaius
Winslow, having delivered his brood of children at the church door, made
a special trip in his carryall to fetch the old lady. Captain Zebedee
and Mrs. Mayo beamed from their pew. Dr Parker and his wife smiled at
them across the aisle. Didama Rogers's new bonnet was a work of art and
her neck threatened to twist itself off as she turned to see each one
who came in.

Lavinia Pepper sailed to the front. She was dressed in a new black
alpaca which rustled so very much like silk that nearsighted people
might have been deceived by it. With her was a man, apparently suffering
from strangulation because of the height and tightness of his collar.
"It's Caleb Pratt, from Sandwich," whispered Didama. "Thankful Payne's
relation, you know. Have you heard what folks are sayin'? I guess
it's true, because--Look at Kyan! you'd think he was goin' to his own
funeral."

Abishai's expression was not cheerful, certainly. He followed Mr. Pratt
and his sister to the Pepper pew and subsided sadly in the corner next
the wall. Occasionally he was observed to wipe his forehead and once--it
was during the prayer--he groaned audibly. Lavinia's dig in the ribs
prevented his repeating the sound, but, judging by his looks, he
continued to groan in spirit.

There was a stir at the door. All heads swung in that direction--all but
Mr. Pepper's, that is. The minister and Grace were coming up the aisle
and behind them came Captain Nat Hammond and Keziah Coffin. Nat was
smiling and self-possessed. Never before in his life had he entered the
Regular meeting house as a worshiper, but he seemed to be bearing the
ordeal bravely. It was Grace's first visit to the church, also, and she
was plainly embarrassed. To be stared at by eighty-odd pairs of eyes,
and to catch whispered comments from the starers' tongues, is likely to
embarrass one.

Yet the comments were all friendly.

"I declare!" whispered Mrs. Prince, "I never see her look so pretty
afore. I knew she was the best lookin' girl in this town, but I never
realized she was SUCH a beauty. Well, there's one thing sartin'--we've
got the handsomest parson and parson's wife in THIS county, by about ten
mile and four rows of apple trees. And there's the other