Keziah Coffin | Page 8

pipe.
"Nothin', nothin', I tell you," he faltered. "I--I just run in to say how
d'ye do, that's all."
"Really, I think I'd better be going," said Grace, glancing from Kyan's

embarrassed face to that of the unsuspecting Mrs. Coffin. "I'm afraid
I'm in the way."
"No, no!" shouted the occupant of the chair. "No, no, you ain't!"
"But I'm afraid I am. And they'll be expecting me at home. Aunt Keziah,
I--"
"Don't be in such a hurry," interrupted Keziah. "Does stick in the
chimney, don't it? Tell you what you can do, Grace; you can go in the
woodshed and fetch the hammer that's in the table drawer. Hurry up,
that's a good girl."
Kyan protested that he did not need the hammer, but his protest was
unheeded. With one more glance at the couple, Grace departed from the
kitchen, biting her lips. She shut the door carefully behind her. Mr.
Pepper labored frantically with the pipe.
"No use to shake it any more till you get the hammer," advised Keziah.
"Might's well talk while you're waitin'. What was it you wanted to tell
me?"
Abishai drew one hand across his forehead, leaving a decorative
smooch of blacking on his perspiring countenance. He choked,
swallowed, and then, with a look at the closed door, seemed to reach a
desperate resolve.
"Keziah," he whispered hurriedly, "you've known me quite a spell, ain't
you?"
"Known you? Known you ever since you were born, pretty nigh. What
of it?"
"Yes, yes. And I've known you, you know. Fact is, we've known each
other."
"Hear the man! Land sakes! don't everybody in Trumet know
everybody else? What ARE you drivin' at?"

"Keziah, you're a single woman."
His companion let go of the chair, which she had been holding in place,
and stepped back.
"I'm a single woman?" she repeated sharply. "What do you mean by
that? Did--did anybody say I wasn't?"
"No, no! 'Course not. But you're a widow, so you BE single, you know,
and--"
"Well? Did you think I was twins? Get down off there this minute.
You've gone crazy. I thought so when I saw that beaver. Either that or
you've been drinkin'. Grace! What DOES make her so long gettin' that
hammer?"
Finding the hammer did seem to take a long time. There was no sound
from the kitchen. Kyan, steadying himself with one hand on the pipe,
waved the other wildly.
"S-s-sh! s-sh-h!" he hissed. "Hush! be still! Don't get her in here.
Keziah, you're single and so am I. You ain't got nobody to take care of
you and I ain't, neither--that is, I don't want to be took care of--I mean,
I've been took care of too much."
Mrs. Coffin took another step in the direction of the kitchen.
"He IS loony!" she exclaimed under her breath. "I--"
"No, no! I ain't loony. I want to make a proposal to you. I want to see if
you won't marry me. I'm sick of Laviny. Let's you and me settle down
together. I could have some peace then. And I think a whole lot of you,
too," he added, apparently as an afterthought.
Keziah's face was red now, and growing redder every instant.
"Kyan Pepper!" she cried in amazed incredulity. "Kyan Pepper, do
you--"

"Hurry up!" pleaded Abishai, in agitated impatience. "Say yes quick.
She'll be back in a minute."
"Say YES! Why, you--"
"Don't stop to argue, Keziah. I've got 'most fifteen hundred dollars in
the bank. Laviny keeps the pass book in her bureau, but you could get it
from her. I own my house. I'm a man of good character. You're poor,
but I don't let that stand in the way. Anyhow, you're a first-rate
housekeeper. And I really do think an awful lot of you."
Mrs. Coffin stepped no farther in the direction of the kitchen. Instead,
she strode toward the rickety chair and its occupant. Kyan grasped the
pipe with both hands.
"You poor--miserable--impudent--" began the lady.
"Why, Keziah, don't you WANT to?" He spoke as if the possibility of a
refusal had never entered his mind. "I cal'lated you'd be glad. You
wouldn't have to go away then, nor-- My soul and body! some one's
knockin' at the door! AND THIS DUMMED PIPE'S FETCHED
LOOSE!"
The last sentence was a smothered shriek. Keziah heeded not. Neither
did she heed the knock at the door. Her hands were opening and closing
convulsively.
"Be glad!" she repeated. "Glad to marry a good-for-nothin' sand- peep
like you! You sassy-- GET down off that chair and out of this house!
Get down this minute!"
"I can't! This stovepipe's loose, I tell you! Be reason'ble, Keziah.
Do--don't you touch me! I'll fall if you do. Pl-e-ase, Keziah!-- O Lordy!
I knew it. LAVINY!"
The door opened. On the