Keziah, in spite of her worldly common sense, was an idealist at heart.  Love matches she believed in thoroughly.  If the man had not been a Regular minister, or if he had been a minister in any other town than narrow, gossiping, squabbling Trumet, where families were divided on “religious” grounds, neighbors did not speak because their creeds were different, and even after death were buried in cemeteries three miles apart; if the girl had been other than the ward of bigoted old Eben Hammond—­then, though they were poor as poverty itself, Keziah would have joined their hands and rejoiced.  Even as it was, she was strongly tempted to do it.  Her sense of right and her every inclination urged her toward that course.  “Face the world together and fight it out,” that was the advice she would like to give them.  But no, the battle was too uneven.  The odds were too great.  They must not think of marriage, for the present, and they must cease to meet.  Perhaps some day—­she tried to comfort herself with the thought—­perhaps some day, years afterwards and under different circumstances, they might.

—­With Ellery she felt certain she could accomplish nothing by argument or persuasion.  She knew him well enough by this time to realize that, if his mind was made up, all Trumet and all creation could not change it.  He would keep on his course, and, if wrecked, would go down with colors set and helm lashed.  But Grace, perhaps she did not fully realize the situation.  She might be made to see, to listen to reason.  And, perhaps, it was possible—­perhaps, on her part, matters were not as serious.  The minister had not acted like a triumphant lover, assured of success; he had seemed, now that she thought of it, more like a pleader, a supplicant.  Perhaps, if she could see Grace and talk plainly with the girl, it might not be too late.  She determined to try that very night.

She rose and again donned her bonnet and shawl.  She was about to blow out the lamp when she heard rapid footsteps, the sound of some one running along the sidewalk in front of the house.  As she listened, the footsteps sounded on the path.  Whoever the runner was he was coming to the parsonage.  She stepped to the door and opened it.

The runner was a boy, Maria Higgins’s boy Isaac, whose widowed mother lived down by the shore.  He did the chores at the Hammond tavern.  His freckled face was dripping with perspiration and he puffed and blew like a stranded whale.

“What’s the matter, Ike?” demanded Keziah.  “What is it?”

“Have ye—­have ye,” panted Ike, “have ye seen the doctor anywheres, Mis Coffin?”

“Who?  Dr. Parker?  Have I seen—­what in the world are you comin’ here after the doctor for?”

“’Cause—­’cause I didn’t know where else to come.  I been to his house and he ain’t to home.  Nobody ain’t to home.  His wife, Mis Parker, she’s gone up to Boston yes’day on the coach, and—­and it’s all dark and the house door’s open and the shay’s gone, so—­”