Keziah stepped forward and held out both hands.  Grace looked, recognized her, and with a cry ran toward her.  Keziah took her in her arms and soothed her as if she were a child.

“There! there! deary,” she said, stroking her hair.  “There! there! deary, don’t take it so hard.  Poor thing! you’re worn out.  If I’d only known sooner.”

“O Aunt Keziah!” sobbed the girl.  “I’m so glad you’ve come.  It was so good of you.”

“Good!  Land of mercy!  If I hadn’t come, I’d have been worse than the beasts that perish.  Don’t cry, don’t.  How is he now?  Some better?”

She looked at the doctor as she asked it.  He shook his head emphatically.

“Well, well, dear,” went on Mrs. Coffin hurriedly.  “He will be pretty soon, we’ll hope.  You mustn’t give up the ship, you know.  Now you go and lay down somewheres and I’ll get my things off and see what there is to do.  Some good strong tea might be good for all hands, I guess likely.  Where’s Hannah Poundberry?”

“She’s gone to her cousin’s to stay all night.  I suppose I ought to send for her, but I—­”

“No, no, you hadn’t.  Might’s well send for a poll parrot, the critter would be just as much good and talk less.  I’ll look out for things, me and the doctor.  Where’s—­where’s Nat?”

“He came in just after I sent the boy for the doctor.  He’s in there with—­with him,” indicating the bedroom.  “Poor Nat!”

Keziah looked longingly toward the door.

“Yes,” she said slowly.  “Poor fellow, it’s an awful shock to him.  He and his father are—­But there! you lay down on that lounge.”

“I can’t lie down.  I can’t do anything but think.  Oh, what a dreadful day this has been!  And I thought it was going to be such a happy one!”

“Yes, yes, deary, I know.”

Grace raised her head.

“You know?” she repeated, looking up into the housekeeper’s face.

“I mean I know it’s been a dreadful day,” explained Keziah quickly.  “Yes, indeed it has,” with a sigh.  “But there! our moanin’ over it don’t cheer it up any.  Will you lay down?  No?  Well, then, set down, there’s a good girl.”

Grace, protesting that she couldn’t sit down, she couldn’t leave uncle, and there were so many things to do, was at last persuaded by Keziah and the doctor to rest for a few moments in the big rocker.  Then Mrs. Coffin went into the kitchen to prepare the tea.  As she went, she beckoned to Dr. Parker, who joined her a moment later.

“Well, doctor?” she asked anxiously.

The stout, gray-haired old physician—­he had practiced in Trumet for nearly thirty years—­shook his head.

“Not a single chance,” he whispered.  “He may possibly live till morning, but I doubt if he lasts an hour.  It’s his heart.  I’ve expected it at any time.  Ever since he had that shock, I’ve been at him to take things easy; but you might as well talk to a graven image.  That Come-Outer foolishness is what really killed him, though just what brought on this attack I can’t make out.  Grace says she found him lying on the floor by the sofa.  He was unconscious then.  I’m rather worried about her.  She was very near to fainting when I got here.”