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Zach Bloomer, the irrepressible, leaned over and breathed into his neighbor's ear. "Say, Mr. Bangs," he whispered, "if you was a sperit would you leave a comf'table berth up aloft to come and anchor alongside THAT noise?" The "noise" became more enthusiastic as the musician warmed to her work. Miss Hoag stirred uneasily in her chair. Captain Jethro bent toward her.
"By jingo, that was clever of you!" he cried. "I was afraid some one had got that cap who would recognize it. Say," he went on, "I owe you about everything to-night, Mr. Bangs. When Marietta gave out her proclamation that the 'small dark man' was in that house I came nearer to believing in her kind of spiritualism than I ever thought I should.
John Kendrick, do you realize " "Easy, Captain, easy. Perhaps I realize what I'm doing better than you do." "You don't neither. Emily Howes " John's interruption was sharper now. "That'll do, Bangs," he said. "Suppose we omit names." "No, we won't omit 'em. I tell you you don't realize. You're drivin' that girl right straight to Heman Daniels, that's what you're doin'." Kendrick smiled.
Oh, pshaw! Wouldn't it make you tired? Say, Mr. Bangs, the last time you and I talked you said you were going to 'consider' those Marietta Hoag spirits. I don't know what you meant, but if you could consider some sense into them and into Cap'n Jeth's stubborn old head, I wish you would." Galusha smiled and said he would try.
"It seems simple enough," said I. "But there are a lot of 'ifs' between here and the little port you hope to reach. It will not be an easy matter to manage the successful flight of a party as large as yours will be." "Oh," she cried, "I shall be quite alone, except for Rosemary and Blake, and Mr. Bangs." "But your mother? You can't leave her here."
"Now I know better.... My savin' soul, how you do talk, Zach Bloomer!... And I says to her, says I, 'Miss Martha, I says.... My Lord of Isrul!..." These were some of the "Primmieisms" which came up the staircase. Galusha rose to close his door but before he could accomplish this feat his own name was called. "Mr. Bangs!" screamed Primmie. "Mr. Bangs, be you layin' down?
Thankful could not help wondering what the secret might be, but in her own letters she asked no questions. And, one day in mid-October, that secret was divulged. Thankful, busy in the kitchen with Imogene, preparing dinner, heard the sound of wheels and horse's hoofs in the yard. Going to the door, she was surprised to see Captain Obed Bangs climbing from a buggy.
"I think Lulie would like to talk to you. She said she would." "Yes. Yes, I would, Mr. Bangs," put in Lulie, herself. "Could you spare just a minute or two?" Galusha cheerfully avowed that he had so many spare minutes that he did not know what to do with them.
If you don't believe it you try and see. And there's two lawyers livin' right in this house," she added triumphantly. If she expected a sensation her expectations were realized. Hannah was again stricken dumb. Captain Bangs and Emily and John Kendrick looked at each other, then the captain doubled up with laughter. Mrs. Barnes and Kenelm, however, did not laugh.
Tom and his Dora were peacefully ambling altar-ward; for Bangs senior was so afraid his son would change his mind again and try a third profession, that he gladly consented to an early marriage, as a sort of anchor to hold the mercurial Thomas fast.
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