Mary-'Gusta

wagon belonging to Mr. Hallett, the undertaker, was at the front door, and Hallett and his assistant were loading in the folding chairs. Mr. Hallett

way and into the back yard. The animal was made fast to the back fence and the

find out who loaded up that music-box chair on me, do you? If I could meet that feller fo

-she invited them in. When told that they

ht to be let out, but of course if you want to see her, Judge

d Baxter. "What's the matter? Ha

e repeated. "I should say she had! I never was so morti

has sh

eft her sentence unfinished. "Never mind what she done," she went on.

the room. Zoeth r

ut out, don't she,"

n of getting 'put out' pretty often," he said

care of Marcellus's

care as the

ent that the housekeeper's manner

e, judgin' by the way she looked just now. Say," hopef

obbs on the floor

usta! Where are you?

about," grumbled Shadrach. "Tut! Tut! What a vo

r face, when she reentered the sitting-room, w

she answered, ang

d Zoeth and Sha

e Judge. "Do you me

ter than that. She's sneaked off and hid, I suppose. Bu

t again, but the Ca

"What's that you say?

Nine chances to one sh

t's she doin' the

ce and perch herself in the old carryall. She calls it her playhouse and you'd think 'twas Heaven the way sh

l we go to Heaven and hunt for her? Maybe 'twill be the only ch

u do talk!" protested t

oung-one ourselves," said the Captain. "

bbs int

clared. "I'll get her and bring her h

here we can come back

usekeeper would have accompanied t

find her. I'm older'n I used to be, but I ain't so bl

y trouble," pro

t might be. We

and the discomfited housekeeper was

r thought I wore my nerves on the back of my neck, which is where Isaiah gets skeeter-bit mostly, but anyhow, wherever they be, that Hobbs woman bothe

buggy and the muslin draped surrey were there, but no livi

a!" called Baxter

eared a fat tortoise-shell cat, who jumped lightly to the floo

's one stowaway, anyhow. Maybe there's an

, and raised the cover. From behind

said Baxter. "Mary-

and then a timid voice sa

ndly. "Come out; here are some

d then: "I-I d

only want to see you and talk with you

't a goo

see you, anyway. I gue

. Is-is Mrs.

me now,

The foot wiggled about, feeling for the step. It found it, the cover was thrown aside and Mary-'Gusta appeared, a path

Shadrach looked solemn and ill at ease. Mary-'G

and," with a pardonable stretching of the truth, "they have come all the way from S

she raised her eyes, saw Mr. Hamilton's mild, gentle face and then, beside it, the face of Captain Shadrach

ran after her and prevented h

" he demanded, "wh

bursting into a storm of sobs,

dn't mean to. Honest I didn't. I-I didn't know.

close and did his

," he said. "No one'

said she shouldn't wonder if he

your head

im

inted a shaking finger str

urse, but in the case of the Captain himself a

? What kind of talk's that? Said I was

d; "you're mistaken. Mrs. Hobbs couldn't have

d he would knock my head-ah-ah-off and-and put me in jail

hook his head as if the conundrum was be

e gone loony, young-ones and all. And,"

pped forward and h

bout it. Neither me nor the Cap'n's goin' to hurt you a mite. We l

ased. She looked at t

We knew your father and he thought everything of us. You ain't goin' to be af

oeth sat down upon an empty box near t

aid of me, be you?

but her big eyes were fixed

ss I ain't. But you wasn't the

tion that all hands, himself included, had los

ne somethin' to me and I

hat made you afraid of Cap'n Gould? Tell me. I

-Zoeth Hamilto

for mercy sakes! Now,

buried her face in Mr. Hamilton'

-the catch-and it was wound up and-and it w

idn't. We know you didn't.

n't say anything 'cause Mrs. Hobbs said I mustn't speak a word at the funeral. And

the Hamilton jacket. Judge Baxter looked as if a li

were responsible for

drew a lo

d. "So she was the

ked the ch

orry about that. We didn't know who did it, but now w

t he knock

he won't. Tell h

ed at his beard. Then

about it. Accidents will happen even in the best regulated-er-funerals; though," with a b

her head and rega

n jail?" she aske

"there's some folks ought to go there for frightenin' children out of their senses. Did

sir, s

what she is. What els

hans' home. If she was to have the care of me, she said, she'd make me walk a ch

in looked at each o

f her father's fun

ed Mary-'Gusta. "I'm awful hung

hen he spoke, was not so

ave your sup

I go to the

aptain Shad again looked at each oth

and go to Heaven, same as Mother and Father. But Mrs. Hobbs says they don't

reached into his pocket, produced a crumpled handkerchief,

go over to South Harniss and-and see me and Cap'n Gould a littl

nd, Zoeth!" he exclaimed. "Be

you feel about it. I just wanted to see how she felt h

she said, "if I could take my dolls and David. I wou

eared in the doorway of the carriage room

that room for? Didn't I forbid you leavin' it? She's been a bad girl, Judge Baxter," she

thrust both hands

the house and put some of her things into a valise or

bs was a

" she repeated. "What

nd Zoeth. And she's got to start

t-b

'buts'; haven't g

ded his friend wit

d, "do you realize

to anything. Jumpin' Judas! I guess we've got room enough in the house to have one young-one come visitin' for-for a couple of days, if we want to. What

outraged dignity in

n'?" faltere

h no

goin'. Unless, of course

f-if I can take David

he, Sh

was pacing the flo

dolls and cats-and cows and pigs, too, if she wants to. Jumpin' fire! What do I care? If a feller's bound to be a fool, a little live stoc

arting once more

," she stammered. "If you di

itated, tugged at his beard, and then, walk

ittle girls, same as Zoeth said. And I ain't mad about the jig-tune chair, neither. Say," with a sudden inspiration; "here we are

sir;

made that mistake, would I? Come on, let's you and me go find David and break the news to him. Say, he

. She regarded the Captain steadily for a moment

ll!" he exclaimed. "I must

any better men than Shadrach