he papers.

"Zoeth," he said, "our Mary-'Gusta's changed into a grown-up woman. Even
this last summer has changed her. She don't look any older, and she's
prettier than ever, but she thinks different, and I have a notion that,
no matter how much we may want to, you and me ain't goin' to be able
to keep her to ourselves as we--Eh?" suddenly becoming aware of his
friend's occupation. "Are you still fussin' over those things? Didn't I
tell you not to worry any more, but to turn in and sleep?"

Zoeth shook his head. His usually placid, gentle face had lost some of
its placidity. He looked worn and worried and the shadows thrown by
the lamp deepened the lines in his forehead. He looked up over his
spectacles.

"Shadrach," he said, "I can't help it. I try not to worry and I try to
heave my burdens onto the Almighty, same as we're commanded, but I can't
seem to heave the whole of 'em there. If things don't pick up pretty
soon, I don't know--I don't know--and I don't dare think," he added
despairingly.

The sheet of paper he was holding rattled as his hand shook. Captain
Shad scowled.

"If we didn't have our winter goods to buy," he muttered. "Our credit's
good, that's one comfort."

"It is up to now, because the Boston folks don't know. But WE know, or
we're afraid we know, and that makes it worse. How can we go on buyin'
from folks that has stood our friends ever since we went into business,
knowin' as we do that--"

His partner interrupted.

"We don't know anything yet," he declared. "Keep a stiff upper lip,
Zoeth. Nine chances to one we'll weather it all right. WHAT a summer
this has been! And when I think," he added savagely, "of how well we got
along afore those new stores came it makes me nigh crazy. I'll go out
with a card of matches some night and burn 'em down. Damn pirates!
Callin' themselves good Cape Cod names--names that don't belong to 'em!
Baker's Bazaar! Ugh! Rheinstein's Robbers' Roost would be nigher the
truth. . . . Say, Zoeth, we mustn't hint a word to Mary-'Gusta about
this. We've got cash enough on hand to pay her clearance charges up
there at school, ain't we?"

"Yes, Shadrach, I've looked out for that. I don't know's I'd ought to.
The money maybe had ought to go somewheres else, but--but right or wrong
it's goin' for her and I hope the Lord'll forgive me. And what you say's
true, she mustn't know we're worried. She's so conscientious she might
be for givin' up her schoolin' and comin' down h