Mary-'Gusta

which she had known on Phinney's Hill at Ostable. There was no Mrs. Hobbs to nag and find fault, there were no lonely

ually insisted upon having his own way and, when they got into trouble because of this insistence, did not permit adherence to the truth to obstruct the path to a complete alibi. Mary-'Gusta, who had been taught by the beloved Mrs. Bailey to consider lying a d

mpany. Her love of make-believe and romance had free scope here and with no Jimmie to laugh and make fun of her imaginings she pretended to her heart's content. Different parts of that garret gradually, in her mind, came to have names of their own. In the bright spot, under the north window, was Home, where she and the dolls and David-when the cat could be coaxed from prowlings and mouse hunts to quiet and slumber-lived and dined and entertained and were ill or well or happy or frightened,

of ships upon them; the model of a Chinese junk; a sea-turtle shell, flippers, head and all, exactly like a real turtle except, as Mary-'Gusta said, 'it didn't have any works'; a glass bottle with a model of the bark Treasure Seeker inside; an Eski

amilies of the old-fashioned kind, revered their parlor as a place too precious for use. They, themselves, entered it not oftener than three times a year, and Isaiah went there only when he felt inclined to dust, which was not often. Shadrach had exhibited its treasures to the children one S

and peep at and handle the treasures. Mary-'Gusta protested, but young Bacheldor called her a coward and declared he wouldn't play with cowards and 'fraid-cats, so rather than be one of those detestable creatures she usually swallowed her scruples and followed the tempter. It was a risk, of course

supper time. And Captain Shad, who had bought those chessmen at Singa

g-ones not to go into t

itted Mary-'Gus

did! And you we

s,

-er-Goliath in there, too. Don't

yes,

a bad girl, Shadrach," he

-go into that parlor again, unless Isaiah or one of us are with you, I-I-by the jumpin' Judas, me and Zoeth won't let you go to the Sunday school picnic. There! I mean that and so does Zoeth. Shut up, Zoeth! You do mean it, to

d described such outings in glowing colors. Now, although she, a visitor, was not a regular member of the South Harniss Methodist Sunday school, the superintendent personally had invit

that field, was depressed and melancholy. Her state of mind was indicated by the fact that she had left all her dolls, even Rose and Rosette, at home. She felt guilty and wicked and conscience-stricken. She had been a bad girl; only one other knew how bad she had been and he, being guilty likewise, would not betray her. But at home Isaiah Chas

rter after four-Mr. Bacheldor was certain as to the time because he had been "layin' down two or three minutes on the sofy afore goin' out to look at some wood there was to cut in the shed, and I'd just got up

er to thunder-and-gone. But I'll get him next time. Let me have the gun

, had rescued at a big risk off the Great South School. It had the Captain's name, with an inscription and date, on a silver plate fastened to the stock. Isaiah was not t

he Captain's room and

" he said. "Hope y

. Bacheldor hesitated. "Say," he went on, "you couldn't let me have

he cartridges. After making sure, by inquiry and inspec

hase called after him;

ear, so the question was repeated

ight," and hurried on. Isaiah looked

to beg cartridges after beggin' the gun, but not Ab Bacheldor, no sir!

s but she was aware of the universal condemnation of chicken stealing and k

easure of the next day, the day she had been anticipating, was spoiled already for her. If she went to that picnic without making

umbledown stone wall, and a cluster of wild cherry trees and bayberry bushes marking the boundary of the Bacheldor land.

never hit him at all. There he goes! Ther

perfectly still, too surprised and frightened even to run. And then out of the bushes before h

voice again. "Stay where you be, Pop. I'll

d pet running for his life was enough to make her forget fr

amed. "Oh, David!

ss its path. It dodged and darted into a beachplum thicket, a cul-de-sac of tangled branches and thick grass. Before the anima

avid! Please be still! They shan't

the freckled face of Con-christened Corneli

uted. "He-no, there he is. She's g

ed through to his son's s

down," screamed

eart was beating wildly but she

Gould's," declared Con. "Mak

dor took command

ed. "Fetch that critt

small knees shook, but she neither spoke nor moved fr

bner. "We're goin' to shoot him;

, Mary-'Gusta forgot her terror of the Bacheldors, of t

y. "I shan't! He ain't! He's my

roared Con. "Pop an

't believe it! Whe

noon. We see him

And he was on my land again just now; comin'

shoot him I'll-I'll tell Uncle Zoeth and-and Cap'n Gould. And I won't let you have him

ou just wait, Pop," he said.

ere certain reasons why he though

them kind of cats has to be shot. I see him myself yesterday afternoon. I told Isaiah Chase myself that . . . why, you

She was still dreadfully frightened but in her

"It wasn't David; it wasn't thi

more. You fetch that cat here or I'll h

started in her direction, she turned and ran, ran as hard

edge of the pine grove and Con was close at her heels. David gave one more convulsive, despera

sobs. Con took one or two steps after the flying cat and gave up the chas

ed a temporary end. "Come here! let the kid alone. We'll get into trouble if we don't. As

for her pet's safety and protection from its persecutors. But Isaiah had gone up to the store on an errand. David, however, was crouching, a trembling heap, under the kitch

uts. Isaiah said he had not seen her for two hours or more. And just then the chil

u was lost. Supper's about ready to put on the tab

Gould," she begged, "will you come into the sittin'-room a minute? I-I

e I will. W

-I'd rather tell you, just you alone," she

ed, he followed her through the di

id, kindly, "now what is i

e was very solemn and her lip q

hin's happened to David. I-I'm goin'

adrach listened. When he heard of the accusation w

I'd hate to have your cat killed, Mary-'Gusta, land

n't! I KNO

lways tell, you kno

n't the cat that did

ou do seem pretty sartin, th

over to Mr. Bacheldor's. That's what I wanted to ask you; won't you please go ri

to go to Ab Bacheldor's with you?" he repeated. "You wan

IM to know David wasn't the one. And if, if you're there when he knows, he'll know YOU know he

ore 'knows' in that than there is knots in a snarled fish line

l you go with

Can't it wait ti

ant any supp

ted forthwith for the home of their nearest neighbor. Mr. Chase, his curiosity aroused, would

e door and he looked rather embarrassed when he saw the pair on the steps. Captain Sh

n, briskly, "what's this about

d together, burst into a tirade of i

that cat stole your chicken it ought to be shot. But are you sure of th

n Abner, savagely. But this time

what time it was yesterday afternoon when

id not wait

esterday afternoon," he de

time's got to do wit

do with it," urged Mary-'G

has, e

se-Ask him i

s, and I told that young-one, too-that I looked at the clock just afore I looked

it wasn't David," she said. "It wasn't David at

nothin'! Don't yo

Mary-'Gusta, how do yo

five; that's how. He was in the-in our house with me. So,"

h began a protest, but

hodist camp meetin'. Let's get soundin's here. Now, Mary-'Gusta, yo

knew he wouldn't be back until five 'cause he said he

? Went i

the answer to this question was one she dr

o-into the parlor,"

sped the full significance of this confession. No, t

ed the Captain, slow

yes,

est parlor over to our house and

s,

uld happen if you went into that parlor again? And espe

get it. You-you said I c

oaned, "if this don't beat the nation!

took David 'cause he was goin' to be one of the passengers on the ship we took. But," with a sudden ret

it does, that's right," he muttered.

d's a liar. She's lyin' so's to save that dummed thief of a cat.

And I doubt if she's lyin' now. Now, Mary-'Gusta, is there any way you can prove you

faces in the room, until their gaze rested upon the fac

-I guess not,

declared Con, with

suspicious. He had s

n could see through a board fence. Mary-'Gusta, was there anyb

a looked a

r," she

an idea there mig

d then: "I-I ain'

he exclaimed. "She can't. The whole yarn's

"and that's enough. So you ain't goin' to tell, Mary-'Gusta, eh? Remember now, if yo

ing it over. Her eyes filled wi

ome of us, anyway. Jim," with a sudden look straight at the youngest member of his neighbor's family, who was fidgeting with

knocked his defenses flat. He gurgled, stamm

bbed, wildly. "'Twas her. S

d into protest by her fellow culprit's distortion of t

. Now then, Jim, what time was it when you looked at the clock? Sh

Jimmie, in agony. "I-I never done i

I guess we've proved our client's case. Next time you go out cat shootin'

or sprang t

at cat stealin' our chickens right along. Ain't you goin' to te

anxious to see the last of his vis

tell YOU somethin'. If that cat of ours gets hurt or don't show up some time I'll kno

lent. Mary-'Gusta clinging to his hand was silent too, dreading what she kn

cat's turned out to be no chicken thief, bu

stammered

n if you went into that parlor, and you went just the

ne. "You mean I can't go t

fact his unhappiness was almost as keen as the child's. But as a boy he had be

n," he said, gravely. "Now se

ment was too great. The tears streamed down her cheeks

sta, where are you goin'? Co

ot come back. She was

" she sobbed. "Please, oh,

urned back, and jerked h

mebody's got to eat it, I cal'late. Fetch it on, Isaiah!

hat the fuss was all about. Shadrach told him. Isaiah's

heft! To borrer a man's own gun-yes, and cartridges, too-to kill that man's own cat with! Of all the solid brass! He nev

"Do you mean to say that Ab Bacheldor came here

d. And only this v

know whose

says: 'Know whose cat 'tis?' and says he, 'I know all right!' I th

his feet and his

," with his hand on the latch, "if you hear somebody bein' murdere

own supper yet and Zoeth's waiting up to the store fo

hatic and, in its

oared Shadrach. "It can wait and so can Zo

the dining-room. Shadrach entered, bearing the precious shotgun. He s

waitin' and hankerin' and hankerin' and no you nor no supper. I had to lock up the store finally. 'Twas

ion. His first remark was in the form

erstand you to say that Mary-'Gusta was with

She wa

he was goin' to s

he heard h

d the lamp and with it in his hand walked from the room and asc

he was not asleep, however. The tear stains on her cheeks and the dampness o

tand, pulled a chair beside the bed

u knew 'twas my gun that Ab Bacheld

her head up and

ir," sh

re when he

ad it there in the field. I saw the silver name t

swab had borrered my gun to kill my cat that would have been enough? If the critter had stole a million chickens 'twouldn't have made any di

answer was p

you knew that you wouldn't care whether David stole th

wouldn't have had to tell about the par

ted you to know David d

, yes, I see. So just to clear that cat you was

: "I-I did want to

r from the pillow and

ared, emphatically, "you

ly? I-I know I hadn't ou

st and squarest-yes, and the spunkiest

went into the par

smash everything in it. And-and, see here, Mary-'Gusta, don't yo

Mr. Hamilton broached a subject

it, but seems 's if I must tell you. I had a letter this morning from Judge Baxter. He says he can't wait mu

smoking, took his

en," he said, shortly. "You k

ooked t

want to keep her

aid I

hadrach Goul

e; but that's nothin'. You knew

ou ARE willin' to keep her-here, wit

so foolish, Zoeth," he protested. "You knew