e, while she's thinkin' what to give us to eat;
hey?"

Judging by the thumps and kicks and screams inside the closet the
housekeeper's thoughts were otherwise engaged.

"You let me out, Labe Ginn!" she screamed. "Cap'n Dott, you make him let
me out!"

Daniel, weary from laughing, could only gasp.

"I can't, Zuba!" he answered, choking. "I can't! It ain't my affair. I
couldn't interfere between husband and wife. You're a free woman, Zuba,
you know. You ought to be advanced enough by this time to fight your own
battles."

"That's right, Zuba," counseled Mr. Ginn. "Fight 'em out in there. You
can be just as free in there as you want to. Have some of my terbacker,
Cap'n?"

Captain Dan declined. The prisoner continued to thump and kick and
threaten. Her jailer refilled and lighted his pipe.

"Thought over that bill of fare, Zuby?" he shouted, after a time.

More thumps and threats; tears as well. Daniel began to feel pity
instead of triumph.

"Hadn't you better, Labe," he began. Mr. Ginn waved him to silence.

"How about supper, Zuby?" he called. "Oh, all right, all right. I don't
know as I'm as hungry as I was, anyway. Appetite's kind of passin' off,
I cal'late. You stay in there and think till mornin', and we'll have it
for breakfast."

Silence--actual silence--for a moment. Then Azuba asked, in a
half-smothered but much humbler voice, "Oh, Labe! WON'T you let me out?"

"Sure thing--if you've thought up that supper for me and Cap'n Dan'l."

"But I did so want--oh, if I could only tell you! It was SO necessary
for me to go to that meetin'. You've spiled everything, and just as
'twas goin' so nice. What Gertie'll say I don't know."

Daniel developed a new interest.

"Gertie?" he repeated. "Hush, Labe! wait a minute. What's Gertie got to
do with it?"

"Nothin', nothin'. Oh, Labe, PLEASE."

"Well, I tell you, Zuby: it's close to nine now, and that's too late for
you to be cruisin' out to meetin's. Sorry you have to miss the speeches
and things, but--Say, I tell you what I'll do. If it's a sermon you want
I'll preach you one, myself. Make it up while you're settin' the table.
Ready to come out and be good? That's right. Now, I bet you she's
thought up somethin' that'll make our mouths water, Cap'n."

The crestfallen housekeeper emerged, blinking, from her thinking
place. She removed her coat and, without even a glance at her employer,
proceeded to adjust the dampers of the stove. Captain Dan rose from his