And, as Egbert climbed in popularity while Captain Sears Kendrick slipped back, it followed naturally that Mrs. Tidditt became more and more the friend and champion of the latter. She went out of her way to do him favors and she made it her business to keep him posted on the happenings and gossip at the Fair Harbor. He did not encourage her in this, in fact he attempted tactfully to discourage her, but Esther was not easily discouraged. It was she who first called his attention to Miss Snowden's fondness for the Phillips society. "Elviry's set her cap for him," declared Mrs. Tidditt. "The way she sets and looks mushy at him when he's preachin' about Portygee pictures and such is enough to keep a body from relishin' their meals." But of late, according to Esther, Elvira was no longer the first violin in the Phillips orchestra. "She's second fiddle," announced the little woman. "There's another craft cut acrost her bows. If you ask me who 'tis I can tell you, too, Cap'n Sears." And Sears made it a point not to ask. Once it was Elvira herself who more than hinted, and in the presence of Elizabeth and the captain. The latter pair were at the desk together when Miss Snowden passed through the room. "Where is mother?" asked Elizabeth. "Have you seen her, Elvira?" Elvira's thin lips were shut tight. "Don't ask _me_," she snapped, viciously. "She's out trapping, I suppose." "Trapping!" Elizabeth stared at her. "What are you talking about? Trapping what?" "I don't know. _I'm_ not layin' traps to catch anything--or any_body_ either." She sailed out of the room. Miss Berry turned to Sears. "Do you know what she means, Cap'n Kendrick?" she asked. Sears did know, or would have bet heavily on his guess. But he shook his head. Elizabeth was not satisfied. "Why do you look like that?" she persisted. "_Do_ you know?" "Eh?... Oh, no, no; of course not.... I--I think I saw your mother goin' out of the gate as I came across lots. She--I presume likely she was goin' to the store or somewhere." "She didn't tell me she was going. Was she alone?" "Why--why, no; I think--seems to me Mr. Phillips was with her." For the next few minutes the captain devoted his entire attention to the letter he was writing. He did not look up, but he was quite conscious that her eyes were boring him through and through. During the rest of his stay she was curt and cool. When he went she did not bid him good-by. So the fuse was burning merrily and the inevitable explosion came three days later. The scene was this time not the Fair Harbor office, but the Minot kitchen. Judah was out and the captain was alone, reading the _Item_. The fire in the range was a new one and the kitchen was very warm, so Sears had opened the outer door in order to cool off a bit. It was a beautiful late October forenoon.