han nothin',
wouldn't it?"

Zoeth stepped forward and, bending over, kissed her cheek. "Never you
mind, Mary-'Gusta," he said. "You ain't gone there yet and afore you do
maybe Cap'n Shad and I can think up some relations for you."

"Real relations?" asked Mary-'Gusta, eagerly.

"Well, no, not real ones; I'm afraid we couldn't do that. But when
it comes to make-believe, that might be different." He hesitated an
instant, glanced at the Captain, and then added: "I tell you what
you do: you just pretend I'm your relation, a--well, an uncle, that's
better'n nothin'. You just call me 'Uncle Zoeth.' That'll be a start,
anyhow. Think you'd like to call me 'Uncle Zoeth'?"

Mary-'Gusta's eyes shone. "Oh, yes!" she cried. "Then I could tell that
Jimmie Bacheldor I had one relation, anyhow. And shall I call Cap'n
Gould 'Uncle Shadrach'?"

Zoeth turned to his companion. "Shall she, Shadrach?" he asked, with a
mischievous smile.

If it had not been for that smile the Captain's reply might have been
different. But the smile irritated him. He strode to the door.

"Zoeth Hamilton," he snapped, "how long are you goin' to set here? If
you ain't got anything else to attend to, I have. I'm goin' up to the
store. It's pretty nigh eight o'clock in the mornin' and that store
ain't open yet."

"Want to come along, Mary-'Gusta?" asked Zoeth. "She can come, can't
she, Shad?"

"Yes, yes, course she can," more genially. "Cal'late there's some of
those sassafras--checkerberry lozengers left yet. Come on, Mary-'Gusta,
if you want to."

But the child shook her head. She looked wistful and a trifle
disappointed.

"I--I guess maybe I'd better stay here," she said. "I ought to see to
Minnehaha's sore throat. I'm goin' to put some red flannel 'round it;
Mr. Chase says he cal'lates he knows where there is some. Good-by, Uncle
Zoeth. Good-by--er--Cap'n Gould."

The partners did not converse on the way to the store. Zoeth made an
attempt, but Shadrach refused to answer. He was silent and, for him,
grumpy all the forenoon. Another fortnight passed before the subject
of the decision which must, sooner or later, be given Judge Baxter was
mentioned by either of the pair.

CHAPTER VI

Mary-'Gusta was growing accustomed to the life in the South Harniss
home. She found it a great improvement over that which she had known
on Phinney's Hill at Ostable. There was no Mrs. Hobbs to nag and find
fault, there were no lonely meals, no scoldings