Thankful put a hand to her forehead.

"But you did--beat him, didn't you?" she stammered. "You found I didn't own the land."

"Yes. I found I owned it myself, legally. If I had found it belonged to anyone else, I--well, I scarcely know what I should have done. You see,"

with a half smile, "I'm trying to be perfectly frank. Finding that I was the owner made it easy."

She did not understand. "It made it easy," she repeated slowly. "But you gave it to ME!"

He leaned forward. "Please don't misunderstand me," he said earnestly.

"As I see it, that land belonged to you by all that is right and fair.

Legally, perhaps, it didn't, but legal honesty isn't always moral honesty. I've found that out even in my limited practice."

Captain Obed tried to put in a word. "Don't you see, Thankful?" he said.

"John knew you thought you owned the land and so--"

"Hush! Please don't. I--I don't see. Mr. Kendrick, you--you have prided yourself on bein' honest with your clients, and Mr. Holliday Kendrick WAS your client."

John smiled. "I compromised there," he answered. "I returned his money and resigned as his attorney before I sent you the deed. It was a compromise, I admit, but I had to choose between him and--well, my honor, if you like; although that sounds theatrical. I chose to be honest with myself--that's all. The land is yours, Mrs. Barnes."

He handed her the envelope containing the deed. She took it and sat there turning it over and over in her fingers, not looking at it, but thinking, or trying to think.

"You give it to me," she said. "It was yours and you give it to me. Why should you? Do--do you think I can TAKE it from you?"

"Certainly, you must take it."

"But I can't! I can't!"

"Certainly you can. Why not?"

"Why NOT? After the things I've thought about you? And after the way I've treated you? And--and after Emily--"

"She didn't know either," broke in Captain Obed. "She didn't understand.

She--"

"That's enough, Captain," interrupted John. "Mrs. Barnes, you mustn't misunderstand me again. Neither you nor--nor Miss Howes must misunderstand my motives. I give this to you because I honestly believe it belongs to you, not because I expect anything in return. I--I confess I did hesitate a little. I feared--I feared she--"

"He means Emily," broke in the irrepressible captain. "You mean Emily, don't you, John?"

"Yes," with some embarra.s.sment. "Yes, I do mean Miss Howes. She and I had been--friends, and I feared she might misinterpret my reasons.

It was not until yesterday afternoon, when I learned of the--of the engagement, that I felt certain neither you nor she could misunderstand.

Then I felt perfectly free to send you the deed."

Captain Obed, who had grasped his meaning, would have spoken, but Thankful spoke first. She, evidently, was quite at sea.

"The engagement?" she repeated. "What engagement?"

"Miss Howes' engagement to Mr. Daniels. They were congratulating him on his engagement yesterday at the station. I overheard the congratulations. I had not known of it before."

At last Thankful understood. She looked at the speaker, then at Captain Obed, and the color rushed to her face.

"And even though Emily--Hush, Obed Bangs! you keep still--and even though you knew Emily was engaged to Heman Daniels, you could still give me and her--this?"

"Now, Mrs. Barnes, do you think--"

"Think! John Kendrick, I think I ought to get down on my knees and beg your pardon for what I've thought these last two months. But I'm thinkin' right now and you ain't. Heman Daniels ain't engaged to Emily Howes at all; he's engaged to that Bayport woman, the one he's been so attentive to for a year or more. Oh, it's true! Winnie S. told me so just now. The news had just come to town and he was full of it. Heman's over to Bayport spendin' Christmas with her this very minute."

Even Captain Obed had not a word to say. He was looking at John Kendrick and John's face was white.

"And I'll tell you somethin' else," went on Thankful, "somethin' that Emily herself told me last night. She might have been engaged to Heman Daniels; he asked her to be. But she wouldn't have him; she told him no."

John stepped from behind the desk. "She--she told him no," he repeated.

"She . . . Why?"

Thankful laughed aloud. "That," she cried, "I SHAN'T tell you. If you don't know yourself then I ain't the one to tell you."

Obed was at her side. "That's enough," he ordered, taking her by the arm. "That's enough, Thankful Barnes. You come right along with me and fetch that deed with you. This young feller here has got some thinkin'

to do, I cal'late. His mind needs overhaulin'. You come with me."

He led her out to the sidewalk and on until they reached the postoffice.

Then, still grasping her arm, he led her into that building. The office was open for a few hours, even though the day was Christmas.

"Here!" he whispered, eagerly. "Stand here by the window where we can see whether he comes out or not."

"But, Obed, what are you doin'?"

"Doin'! I'm waitin' to see whether that boy is a permanent fool or just a temporary one. Wait now; wait and watch."

The wait was but momentary. The door of John Kendrick's office opened and John himself came out. He shut the door, but he did not wait to lock it. They saw him cross the road and stride off down the lane toward the sh.o.r.e.

Captain Obed laughed aloud.

"No," he cried, exultantly, "'twas only temporary. He's got his senses now. Thankful, let's you and me go for a walk. We shan't be needed at the High Cliff House for a spell--and we won't be WANTED there, either."

CHAPTER XVIII

The walk was a long one. It took them a good way from the more populous section of East Wellmouth, over the hills and, at last, along the beach at the foot of the bluff. It was an odd season of the year for a stroll by the seaside, but neither Thankful nor the captain cared for that. In fact it is doubtful if either could have told afterward just where they had been. There were so many and such wonderful things to tell, to speculate upon, and to discuss.

Thankful told of her brother's return, of Mr. Cobb's miraculous generosity, and, for the first time, of the ghostly haunting of the little back bedroom. In the latter story Captain Obed seemed to find much amus.e.m.e.nt. He was skeptical.

"I've heard of a good many ghosts in my time," he said, "but I never heard of one that could stand daylight or common-sense. The idea of your bein' troubled all this time by that snorin' business or whatever 'tis.

Why didn't you tell me about it? I'd have had that spook out of that bedroom afore this, I bet you."

"It seemed so silly," confessed Thankful, "that I was ashamed to tell anybody. But there's SOMETHIN' there. I heard it the first night I came, and Rebecca Timpson heard it later on, and then Emily and I and Solomon heard it all together."