church and parish affairs. They spoke of the sewing circle and the
reading society and the Friday-evening meetings.

"The Come-Outers are so vexed with us," tittered Miss Annabel, "that
they won't even hold prayer meeting on the same night as ours. They have
theirs on Thursday nights and it's as good as a play to hear them shout
and sing and carry on. You'll enjoy the Come-Outers, Mr. Ellery. They're
a perfect delight."

And as they rose to go Captain Elkanah asked:

"Is there anything you'd like done about the parsonage, Mr. Ellery?
If so, it shall be done immejitly. How are you satisfied with your
housekeeper?"

"Very well, indeed, Captain Daniels," was the prompt reply.

"She's a character, isn't she?" giggled Annabel. "She was born here
in Trumet, but went away to New Bedford when she was young and grew up
there. Her maiden name was Hall, but while she was away she married a
man named Ansel Coffin. They didn't live together very long and weren't
happy, I guess. I don't know whose fault it was, nobody knows much
of anything about it, for that's the one thing she won't talk about.
Anyhow, the Coffin man was lost to sea, and after a while she came back
to keep house for her brother Solomon. She's an awful odd stick, but
she's a good cook, I believe; though I'm afraid you won't get the meals
people such as ourselves, who've been so much in the city, are used to."

Ellery thought of the meals at his city boarding house and shuddered. He
was an orphan and had boarded for years. Incidentally, he had worked his