bankrupt ( part 3)

"You've kept on with the tonic?"

"Yes."

"That's good! Miss Dorcas, look up there. See that moon! See that wisp of

an old blanket dragging over her face! Do you mind coming out and

walking up and down the road while we talk? I may think of one or two

directions to give about your father."

Dorcas stepped forward with the light obedience given to happy tasking.

She paused as! quickly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I can't. Father might wake up. I never leave him

alone."

"Never mind, then! let's sit right down here on the steps. After all,

perhaps it's pleasanter. What a garden! It's like my mother's. I could pick

out every leaf in the dark, by the smell. But you're alone, aren't you? I'm

not keeping you from any one?"

"Oh, no! I'm all alone, except father."

"Yes. The fact is, I went into your school to-day, and the teacher said she

was coming here to-night. She offered to bring you a message, but I said

I should come myself. I'm abominably late. I couldn't get here any

earlier."

"Oh, yes! Phoebe! She was here over an hour ago. Phoebe's a real

comfort to me." She was seated on the step above him, and it seemed

very pleasant to her to hear his voice, without encountering also the

challenge of his eyes.

"No, is she though?" The doctor suddenly faced round upon her. "Tell me

about it!"

Then, quite to her surprise, Dorcas found herself talking under the spell of

an interest so eager that it bore her on, entirely without her own

guidance."Well, you see there's a good many things I keep from father. He never's

been himself since mother died. She was the mainstay here. But he thinks

the church prospers just the same, and I never've told him the

attendance dropped off when they put up that 'Piscopal building over to

Sudleigh. You 'ain't lived here long enough to hear much about that, but

it's been a real trial to him. The summer boarders built it, and some rich

body keeps it up; and our folks think it's complete to go over there and

worship, and get up and down, and say their prayers out loud."

The doctor laughed out.

"I've heard about it," said he. "You know what Brad Freeman told Uncle

Eli Pike, when they went in to see how the service was managed?

Somebody found the places in the prayer-book for them, and Brad was

quick-witted, and got on very well; but Eli kept dropping behind. Brad

nudged him. 'Read!' he said out loud. 'Read like the devil!' I've heard that

story on an average of twice a day since I came to Tiverton. I'm not tired

of it yet!"

Miss Dorcas, too, had heard it, and shrunk from its undisguised profanity.

Now she laughed responsively.

"I guess they do have queer ways," she owned. "Well, I never let father

know any of our folks go over there. He'd be terrible tried. And I've made

it my part in our meeting to keep up the young folks' interest as much as

I can. I've been careful never to miss my Sunday-school class. They're all

girls, nice as new pins, every one of 'em! Phoebe was in it till a little while

ago, but now she comes here and sits in the kitchen while I'm gone. I

don't want father to know that, for I hope it never'll come into his head

he's so helpless; but I should be worried to death to have him left alone.

So Phoebe sits there with her book, ready to spring if she should hear

anything out o' the way."

The doctor had lapsed into his absent mood, but now he roused himself,

with sudden interest.

"That's very good of her, isn't it?" he said "You trust her, don't you?""Trust Phoebe! Well, I guess I do! I've known her ever since she went to

Number Five, and now she's keeping the school herself. She's a real noble

girl!"

"Tell me more!" said the doctor, warmly. "I want to hear it all. You're so

new to me here in Tiverton! I want to get acquainted."

Miss Dorcas suddenly felt as if she had been talking a great deal, and an

overwhelming shyness fell upon her.

"There isn't much to tell," she hesitated. "I don't know's anything'd

happened to me for years, till father had his ill-turn in the spring, and we

called you in. He don't seem to realize his sickness was anything much.

I've told the neighbors not to dwell on it when they're with him. Phoebe

won't; she's got some sense."

"Has she?" said the doctor, still eagerly. "I'm glad of that, for your sake!"

He rose to go, but stood a moment near the steps, dallying with a

reaching branch of jessamine; it seemed persuading him to stay. He had

always a cheery manner, but to-night it was brightened by a dash of

something warm and reckless. He had the air of one awaiting good news,

in confidence of its coming. Dorcas was alive to the rapt contagion, and

her own blood thrilled. She felt young.

"Well!" said he, "well, Miss Dorcas!" He took a step, and then turned

back. "Well, Miss Dorcas," he said again, with an embarrassed laugh,

"perhaps you'd like to gather in one more church-goer. If I have time

tomorrow, I'll drop in to your service, and then I'll come round here, and

tell your father I went."

Dorcas rose impulsively. She could have stretched out her hands to him,

in the warmth of her gratitude.

"Oh, if you would! Oh, how pleased he'd be!"

"All right!" Now he turned away with decision. "Thank you, Miss Dorcas,

for staying out. It's a beautiful evening. I never knew such a June.

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