he
figure of a man. He plunged across the threshold, tripped over the mat
and fell in a heap upon the floor.

Emily shrieked. Mrs. Barnes pulled the door shut and ran to the
prostrate figure.

"Who is it?" she asked. "Who IS it? Are you hurt?"

The figure raised its head.

"Hurt!" it panted. "It's a wonder I ain't dead. What's the matter with
ye? Didn't you hear me yellin' for you to open that door?"

Thankful drew a long breath.

"For mercy sakes!" she cried. "Solomon Cobb! WHAT are you doin' over
here a night like this?"

CHAPTER XIV

Mr. Cobb slowly raised his head. He looked about him in a bewildered
way, and then his gaze fixed itself upon Mrs. Barnes.

"What--why--YOU!" he gasped.

"Eh?" stammered Thankful, whose surprise and bewilderment were almost as
great as his. "Eh? What?"

"You?" repeated Solomon. "What--what are you doin' here?"

"What am I doin' here? What am I doin'?"

"Yes." Then, after another stare about the room, he added: "This ain't
Kenelm Parker's house? Whose house is it?"

"It's my house, of course. Emily, go and fetch some--some water or
somethin'. He's out of his head."

Emily hurried to the kitchen, Thankful hastened to help the unexpected
visitor to his feet. But the visitor declined to be helped.

"Let me alone," he roared. "Let me be. I--I want to know whose house
this is?"

"It's my house, I tell you. You ought to know whose house it is. Land
sakes! You and I have had talk enough about it lately. Don't you know
where you are? What are you sittin' there on the floor for? Are you
hurt?"

Slowly Mr. Cobb rose to his feet.

"Do you mean to tell me," he demanded, "that this is--is Abner's place?
How'd I get here?"

"I don't know. I ain't hardly had time to make sure you are here yet.
And I'm sartin YOU ain't sure. That was an awful tumble you got. Seems
as if you must have hurt yourself. And you're soppin' wet through! What
in the WORLD?"

She moved toward him again, but he waved her away.

"Let me alone!" he ordered. "I was headin' for Kenelm Parker's. How'd I
get here?"

"I tell you I don't know. I suppose you lost your way. No wonder, such a
night's this. Set down. Let me get you somethin' hot to drink. Come out
in the kitchen by the cookstove. Don't--"

"Hush up! Let me think. I never see such a woman to talk. I--I don't see
how I done it. I left Chris Badger's and came across the fields and--"

"And you took the wrong path, I guess, likely. Did y