"She was not there an hour ago," the young man replied, his countenance falling into somber lines again. "In fact, nobody was there. I got the key from 'Liphalet's porch and unlocked the vestry door and lit the fire. But nobody came." "Dear me! I must see about that," Miss Sue said more briskly. "I wonder where Pearly can be?" They were glad to get into the partial shelter of I. Tapp's wall and there take breath. Helmford suggested that Miss Sue stop at Mrs. Lawford Tapp's to rest, but she would not hear to this. "I was Cape born and raised, and there's no difference between me and my forebears save that I have lived a little softer," she declared. "If it was Betty Gallup you boys had saved from death, would you expect her to faint on your hands?" "'The Able Seaman'?" chuckled Helmford. "No, Miss Ambrose. I should not expect Mrs. Gallup to display many of the ordinary feminine weaknesses." Nevertheless he and 'Liphalet all but carried Miss Sue between them as far as Cap'n Abe's store. Here, as the trio approached through the steadily falling snow, came Milt Baker and Amiel Perdue, bound homeward for dinner. "What in tarnation!" ejaculated Milt, almost swallowing his usual cud of Brown Mule in his amazement. "Life Truitt? And the Doc's sister? Sufferin' swordfish! There ain't been no elopement, has there?" Fortunately the noise of the wind and sifting snow drowned most of this unguarded speech, from Miss Sue's ears at least. But 'Liphalet heard enough, and if a glance would have drowned the Shell Road humorist that look with which the ex-steward favored Milt would certainly have sent him to a watery grave. The exhausted trio stumbled into Cap'n Abe's store. The usual company about the stove had scattered. They heard the storekeeper's voice from the living room in the rear. 'Liphalet led the way to the flap in the counter, which he lifted to let Miss Sue and Helmford pass through. As they crossed the entry between the store and the living room they heard another voice in reply to Cap'n Abe's. The storm-beaten callers came to the open door to see Cap'n Jonah and Pearl Holden with the old store-keeper. Pearl had dropped into the rocking-chair usually favored by Diddimus, the cat, and had a handkerchief to her eyes. But Cap'n Jonah was on his feet, his southwester pushed back on his head, his mahogany face alive with emotion, his snuff-box in his hand. "No, Mr. Silt, I warn't never cut out for actin' a part, I don't guess, and it sarves me right. I'd never ought to have tried to fool them Pettys into believin' I had a fortune when I ain't got none." "Sh!" warned Cap'n Abe, seeing the newly arrived visitors. Cap'n Jonah wheeled and saw them too. But his countenance did not change from its stern and determined expression.