He rose, evidently considering the affair settled.  Brown caught his coat and pulled him back to the bench.

“Wait, Atkins,” he said.  “I’m grateful to you for your kindness, I like you and I’d like to please you; but if what you say is final, then—­as they used to say in some play or other—­’I guess you’ll have to hire another boy.’”

“What?  You mean you’ll quit?”

“Rather than do that—­yes.”

“But why?”

“For reasons, as I told you.  By the way, you haven’t told me why you object to acting as guide to—­females.”

“Because they are females.  They’re women, darn ’em!”

Before his helper could comment on this declaration, it was repeated.  The lightkeeper shook both his big fists in the air.

“Darn ’em!  Darn all the women!” shouted Seth Atkins.

“Amen,” said John Brown, devoutly.

Seth’s fists dropped into his lap.  “What?” he cried; “what did you say?”

“I said Amen.”

“But—­but . . . why . . . you didn’t mean it!”

“Didn’t I?” bitterly.  “Humph!”

Seth breathed heavily, started to speak once more, closed his lips on the words, rose, walked away a few paces, returned, and sat down.

“John Brown,” he said, solemnly, “if you’re jokin’, the powers forgive you, for I won’t.  If you ain’t, I—­I . . .  See here, do you remember what you asked me that night when you struck me for the assistant keeper’s job?  You asked me if I was married?”

Brown assented wonderingly.  “Why, yes,” he said, “I believe I did.”

“You did.  And I ain’t been so shook up for many a day.  Young feller, I’m goin’ to tell you what no other man in Ostable County knows.  I am married.  I’ve got a wife livin’.”

CHAPTER VII

OUT OF THE BAG

“I’m married, and I’ve got a wife livin’,” continued Seth; adding hurriedly and fiercely, “don’t you say nothin’ to me!  Don’t you put me out.  I’m goin’ to tell you!  I’m goin’ to tell you all of it—­all, by time!  I am, if I die for it.”

He was speaking so rapidly that the words were jumbled together.  He knocked his hat from his forehead with a blow of his fist and actually panted for breath.  Brown had never before seen him in this condition.

“Hold on!  Wait,” he cried.  “Atkins, you needn’t do this; you mustn’t.  I am asking no questions.  We agreed to—­”

“Hush up!” Seth waved both hands in the air.  “Don’t you talk!  Let me get this off my chest.  Good heavens alive, I’ve been smotherin’ myself with it for years, and, now I’ve got started, I’ll blow off steam or my b’iler’ll bust.  I’m goin’ to tell you.  You listen—­

“Yes, sir, I’m a married man,” he went on.  “I wa’n’t always married, you understand.  I used to be single once.  Once I was single; see?”

“I see,” said Brown, repressing a smile.