that's all. No, Zoeth,
I can't pity him much. He's dead, and that's a good thing, too. The
wonder of it is that he's been alive all this time and we didn't know.
And to think--but there; it's all wonderful."

Both were silent for a moment. Then Zoeth said:

"The one thing that's troubled me most in all this, Shadrach, is about
Mary-'Gusta herself. How does she really feel towards Crawford? She
sent him away, you told me that, but are you sure she did it because she
didn't care enough for him to marry him? Are you sure there wan't any
other reason?"

"She gave me to understand there wan't. What other reason could there
be?"

"Well--well, Shadrach, it all depends, seems to me. You know
Mary-'Gusta; the last person she thinks about on earth is herself. If
she did think a sight of Crawford, if she thought ENOUGH of him,
she wouldn't let him suffer on account of her, would she? She knew,
probably, that he loved and respected his father and a father's good
name must mean a lot to a son. Then, there is us--you and me, Shadrach.
She wouldn't let us suffer, if she could help it. Do you see what I
mean?"

"Humph!" mused the Captain, thinking aloud, "I cal'late I do, Zoeth. You
mean if Mary-'Gusta had found out the facts about Ed Farmer, who he was
and what he done, and if she knew Crawford Smith's dad WAS Ed Farmer and
that Crawford didn't know it and we didn't know it--you mean that, BEIN'
Mary-'Gusta, rather than bring sorrow and trouble on Crawford and on us,
she'd sacrifice her own feelin's and--and would pretend she didn't care
for him so as to get him to go away and save him and us. That's what you
mean, I presume likely."

"That's it, Shadrach."

"Um--yes. Well, there's just one thing that makes that notion seem
consider'ble more than unlikely. How in the world could she have found
out that there ever was an Edgar Farmer--"

"Good many folks in South Harniss could have told her that if they'd had
a mind to."

"Maybe so; but they couldn't have told her that Edwin Smith, of Carson
City, Nevada, was ever Edgar Farmer. No, sir, they couldn't! Nobody knew
it--but Ed Farmer himself. How could our Mary-'Gusta know it?"

"I don't know, Shadrach, unless--she's awful smart, you know--somethin'
might have put her on the track and she puzzled it out. I know that
ain't likely; but, Shadrach, if she does care for Crawford and he cares
for her, I--I want 'em to have each other. I do. They must."

Shadrach stared at him.