ation.

"It's a sign," she cried, clapping her hands. "It's a sign sent to you,
Solomon. It means you're forgiven. That's what it means. Now you eat
your breakfast."

He was eating, or trying to eat, when someone knocked at the door.
Winnie S. Holt was standing on the step.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Barnes," he hailed. "Ain't drowned out after the
gale, be you? Judas priest! Our place is afloat. Dad says he cal'lates
we'll have to build a raft to get to the henhouse on. Here; here's
somethin' Mr. Kendrick sent to you. Wanted me to give it to you,
yourself, and nobody else."

The something was a long envelope with "Mrs. Barnes, Personal," written
upon it. Thankful read the inscription.

"From Mr. Kendrick?" she repeated. "Which Mr. Kendrick?"

"Mr. John, the young one. Mr. Holliday's comin', though. He telephoned
from Bayport this mornin'. Came down on the cars far's there last night,
but he didn't dast to come no further 'count of bein' afraid to drive
from the Centre in the storm. He's hired an automobile and is comin'
right over, he says. The message was for John Kendrick, but Dad took it.
What's in the envelope, Mrs. Barnes?"

Thankful slowly tore the end from the envelope. Emily stood at her
elbow.

"What can it be, Auntie?" she asked, fearfully.

"I don't know. I'm afraid to look. Oh, dear! It's somethin' bad, I know.
Somethin' to do with that Holliday Kendrick; it must be or he wouldn't
have come to East Wellmouth today. I--I--well, I must look, of course.
Oh, Emily, and we thought this was goin' to be a merry Christmas, after
all."

The enclosure was a long, legal-looking document. Thankful unfolded it,
read a few lines and then stopped reading.

"Why--why--" she stammered.

"What is it, Auntie?" pleaded Emily.

"It--I can't make out. I MUST be crazy, or--or somebody is. It looks
like--Read it, Emily; read it out loud."

CHAPTER XVII

Captain Obed Bangs rose at his usual hour that Christmas morning, and
the hour was an early one. When he looked from his bedroom window the
clouds were breaking and a glance at his barometer, hung on the wall
just beside that window, showed the glass to be rising and confirmed
the promise of a fair day. He dressed and came downstairs. Hannah Parker
came down soon afterward. The captain wished her a merry Christmas.

Miss Parker shook her head; she seemed to be in a pessimistic mood.

"I'm much obliged to you, Cap'n Bangs," she said, "and I'm sure I wish