tand.

"Of course, Mary-'Gusta," he said, "I ain't askin' anything--that is,
I don't mean to put my oar in about what you told me last night,
but--well, you see, Zoeth and me was beginnin' to feel that 'twas pretty
nigh a settled thing between you and that young man."

Mary was sitting at the desk--she and her uncle were at the store
together--and she looked up from the ledger over which she had been
bending and shook her head reproachfully. She looked tired and worn, so
it seemed to Captain Shadrach, as if she had not slept well the night
before, or perhaps for several nights.

"Uncle Shad," she said, "what did I tell you?"

"Eh? Why, you told me--You know what you told me, Mary-'Gusta. What do
you ask that for?"

"Because I think you have forgotten the most important part of it. I
told you we were going to forget it all. And we are. We are not going to
speak of it again."

"But, Mary-'Gusta, why--"

"No, Uncle Shad."

"But do just tell me this much; if you don't I shan't rest in peace: you
didn't send him away on account of Zoeth and me? It wan't just because
you thought we needed you?"

"No, Uncle Shad."

"Then--"

"That's all. It's over with; it's done with forever. If you really care
about me, Uncle Shad--and sometimes, you know, I almost suspect that
you really do--you will never, NEVER say another word about it. Now come
here and tell me about this account of Heman Rodger's. Isn't it time we
tried to get a payment from him?"

The Captain, although still uneasy and far from satisfied, asked no more
questions of his niece. It was evident that nothing was to be gained in
that way. He did, however, question Isaiah to learn if the latter had
noticed anything unusual in Crawford's manner or if Crawford had said
anything concerning his reason for coming on at that time, but Isaiah
had noticed nothing.

"Umph!" grunted Shadrach, rather impatiently, for the mystery in the
affair irritated him. "Of course, you didn't notice. YOU wouldn't notice
if your head came off."

Mr. Chase drew himself up. "If I hove out such a statement as that," he
observed, scornfully, "you'd call me a fool. 'If my head come off!' How
could I notice anything if my head was off? You tell me that!"

His employer grinned. "I cal'late you could do it about as well as you
can with it on, Isaiah," he said, and walked away, leaving the cook and
steward incoherently anxious to retort but lacking ammunition.

So Shadrach was obliged t