"You need have no worries on that score, Marcia," replied the sheriff kindly, noticing the distress in her face. "You don't, naturally, want all you've done for Mr. Heath thrown away. No more do I. I'll look out for him."
"Where is he going?"
"To my house for the present," Elisha answered. "You see, the town ain't ever needed to make provision for a criminal. I can't lock him up in the church 'cause he could get out had he the mind; an' out of the school-house, too. Besides, them buildin's are kinder chilly. So after weighin' the matter, I decided to take him 'long home with me. I've a comfortable spare room an' I figger to put him in it 'til I've questioned him an' verified his story.
"Meantime, nobody in town will be the wiser. I ain't even tellin' May Ellen why Mr. Heath's at the house. If I choose to harbor comp'ny, that's my business. Not a soul 'cept Eleazer's in on this affair an' he's keepin' mum. When him an' me decide we've got the truth, we'll act—not before."
"That relieves my mind very much. Mr. Heath is—you see he—"
"He's a friend of yours—I ain't forgettin' that. I shall treat him 'cordin'ly, Marcia."
"Thank you, Elisha—thank you a hundred times."
There was nothing more to be said.
Heath bowed once again and the two men walked down to the float where they clambered with the luggage into Elisha's dory and put out into the channel.