"clipped it right up to him."

"Don't you come now, dear," she advised him, in that persuasive voice
of hers. "No, don't you come now. He ain't ready. You go away, an' let
him set an' think it out." And the parson, why he knew not, turned
about, and went humbly back to his preaching in the hall.

The afternoon wore on, and it began to seem as if Elvin would never
break from his trance, and never speak. Finally, after watching him a
moment with her keen eyes, Dilly touched him lightly on the arm.

"The Tolmans have drove home," she said, quietly. "All on 'em. What if
you should git your horse, an' take Molly an' me along?"

Elvin came to his feet with a lurch. He straightened himself.

"I've got to talk to the parson," said he.

"So I thought," answered Dilly, with composure, "but 'tain't no place
here. You ask him to ride, an' let Miss Dorcas drive home alone. We
four'll stop at my house, an' then you can talk it over."

Elvin obeyed, like a child tired of his own way. When they packed
themselves into the wagon,--where Dilly insisted on sitting behind, to
make room,--the Tiverton and Sudleigh people stood about in groups, to
watch them. Hiram Cole came forward, just as Elvin took up the reins.

"Elvin," said he, in a cautious whisper, with his accustomed gesture of
scraping his cheek, "I've got suthin' to say to ye. Don't ye put no
money into Dan Forbes's hands. I've had a letter from brother 'Lisha,