“She was in love with him?”
“That’s putting it purty tame. I cal’late––Say, has she been speaking to you about him?” asked the seaman eagerly.
The minister nodded. “I’m breaking a promise to her by talking with you about it, but–––”
“Breaking a promise you made to Clemmie? How’s that?”
“She made me promise to say nothing to you. But I must. This thing is getting too interesting for me to keep my hands off any longer.”
“You mean she made you say that you’d not tell me that she was in love with Adoniah? That’s funny, ain’t it? Why, I knew–––” He broke off abruptly, a new light coming into his tired eyes. He leaned forward and whispered hoarsely: “Mack, it ain’t likely she’s in love with––well,––with any other feller, is it?”
“She didn’t–––”
“With me, for example,” broke in the seaman. “You don’t think maybe that was the reason she made you give that promise, do you?” The Captain made no effort to hide 254 his eagerness. “I don’t mind telling you that I love Clemmie. I loved her long afore Adoniah come along and sp’iled it. He was smarter than me, and went to school. He was real bright and handsome. It wa’n’t that Clemmie loved him, but she didn’t know the difference. And I know right well he didn’t love her. He had took a spite against me because I was left the home place, and he took it out on me by stealing my girl. You don’t s’pose she sees now that he didn’t really care–––” He slowly settled back into his chair, and shook his head. “I cal’late that ain’t possible. You heerd what she said about his sacred memory this morning. Good Lord! Why won’t she ever forget!”
“She may some day, Cap’n. No man can predict to-day what a woman may do to-morrow.”