Part 20 (1/2)

By the noise in the hall I judged Andrew McCulloch was come back unexpected, and I judged he might come in ambitious and inquiring, and not easy to take as he came. I started for the open doors, and got through one of them hasty, and shut it behind. It was soon enough to escape Andrew, and too soon to see if it was the right door. It was dark there except for the starlight through a window, showing crockery on shelves. The place was no more than a pantry.

I've been in different circ.u.mstances by sea and land, but I didn't recollect at that moment ever being planted in just those, and it seemed to me a couple, that could plant an experienced seaman that way must be ingenious as well as open-minded. I heard Andrew McCulloch talking to himself like the forerunnings of an earthquake, and I says:

”An experienced seaman might get out, but not that way. Experienced seamen don't put off on the windward side. But,” I says, ”it seems to me experience and ingenuity could keep a hotel.”

With that I put up the window softly and climbed out and dropped to the ground. I went round the house looking for ingenious couples, and then across the yard, and there they sat on the same fence, with their feet hooked as previous, and they appeared to feel calm and candid.

”As to hotel keeping,” I says, climbing on the fence, ”it's a good life,--” and there I stopped.

I looked over at the old churchyard on the Green. It was dark and still over there. The rows of flat tombstones were grey, like planted ghosts.

”Hic Jacet” means ”here lies,” as I'm told. Those folks that once got their ”Hic jacets” over them wouldn't ever get up to argue the statement; but those that left good memories behind, I guessed they were glad of it. As for the living, if they were elderly, they'd best go to bed. With that I got down from the fence.

”Madge,” I says, ”do you know why I'm backing you?”

”Yes,” she says, ”I know.”

How the nation did she know?

”Happen Billy Corliss may want to run away still” I says, ”and maybe you'll be asking, 'Where to?' and maybe he'll remark, 'Pemberton's.'

Then if you and he should drop into Pemberton's most any time, with a notion of connubiality, I guess likely he'd have prospects to modify Andrew McCulloch with afterward, 'Pemberton's seaside Hotel. Peaceful Patronage Welcome. No Earthquakes nor Revolutions Allowed.'”

Then I left them on the fence and came back to Greenough.

CHAPTER XV.

CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE.

When Captain Buckingham ended, it was late and dark, the afternoon long gone into evening. The storm still roared around Pemberton's, and we five sat anch.o.r.ed close to the chimney. It might have been a quarter of an hour went by, and it was past time when Pemberton or Stevey Todd should be getting the supper ready, when there came a sudden tumult in the hall without, and some one bounced in, the snow flying after him, and he cried, ”I've eloped and I want a minister!” That was how he stated it: ”I've eloped and I want a minister!”

Then Pemberton said:

”I dare say now you're right there,” and Captain Buckingham said nothing, nor looked up.

I knew it must be Billy Corliss, though I didn't know him, nor did Uncle Abimelech, nor Stevey Todd. He might have blown down from Labrador, or eloped out of Nova Scotia.

Pemberton and Corliss went out together. Then Stevey Todd spoke up cautiously:

”When I look at it,” he said, ”when I asks myself: 'Is he right or is he not?' I don't hear no objections. And further,” he said, leaning forward and speaking low, ”it's my opinion there's a woman out there.”

Uncle Abimelech lifted his eyes from the kettle that hung over the fire, and stared about and seemed to be alarmed.

”Where?” said Uncle Abimelech.

Stevey Todd pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. Uncle Abimelech followed the direction slowly along the dark ceiling, and seeing nothing alarming there, seemed relieved. He turned back to the fire and muttered:

”She throwed kettles, some.”

Then Corliss came in again and after him Pemberton, and with them was a tall girl in layers of cloaks and veils, and layers of snow, which being taken off, she came out as balmy and calm as a tropic coast, and enough to make a man forget his old troubles and lay in new ones. Captain Buckingham only looked at her, and said nothing.