Onthewayhome，aftertheservice，itwasSamKeithwhoescortedMary，whileMrs。WyethwalkedwithMr。Smith。Sam’sconversationwasnotburdenedwithseriousness。Hockey，dances，andgoodtimeswerethesubjectshedealtwith。Washiscompanionfondofdancing？
　　Wouldsheaccompanyhimtooneoftheclubdancessometime？Theyweregreatfun。Mrs。Wyethcouldchaperonthem，ofcourse。
　　Marysaidshewasafraidshewouldbetoobusytoaccept。Asamatteroffact，knowingwhatshedidofhismother’sfeelings，shewouldhaveacceptednoinvitationsfromSamKeithevenifnothingelsepreventedherdoingso。
　　“Mystudiestakeagooddealofmytime，“shesaid。
　　Samlaughed。“You’llgetoverthat，“hedeclared。“Istudiedlikeblueblazesmyfreshmanyear，butafterthat——Ishouldworry。Say，I’mmightygladIcameoverheretoday。I’mcomingagain。I’llbearegularboarder。“
　　Theyoungmensaidgood-byattheWyethdoor。Mrs。Wyethdidnotaskthemin，althoughthepersistentSamuelthrewoutsomepointedhints。
　　CrawfordSmithandMaryshookhands。
　　“I’vehadanawfullygoodtime，“declaredtheformer。Then，turningtoMrs。Wyeth，heasked：“MayIcalloccasionally？“
　　Mrs。Wyeth’sanswerwas，asusual，frankandunmistakable。
　　“Yes，“shesaid。“Ishallbeverygladtoseeyou——occasionally。“
　　CrawfordturnedtoMary。
　　“MayI？“heasked。
　　Maryscarcelyknewhowtoreply。Therewasnorealreasonwhyheshouldnotcall；shelikedhimsofar。Hisfranknessandearnestnessofpurposeappealedtoher。Andyetshewasnotatallsurethatitwaswisetocontinuetheacquaintance。InhermindthiscomingtoBostontoschoolwasaveryseriousmatter。Heruncleshadsenthertheretostudy；theyneededherathome，butthatneedtheyhadsacrificedinorderthatshemightstudyandimprove。Nothingelse，friendshipsorgoodtimesoranything，mustinterferewiththepurposewithwhichshehadacceptedthesacrifice。
　　Soshehesitated。
　　“MayI？“repeatedCrawford。
　　“Why，Idon’tknow。IimagineIshallbeverybusymostofthetime。“
　　“That’sallright。Ifyou’rebusyyoucansendwordformetovamoose。Thatwillbepartofthebargain。Good-by。“
　　Mrs。Wyeth’sfirstremark，afterentering，wasconcerningSam’sfriend。
　　“Iratherlikethatyoungperson，“shesaid。“Samuelidolizeshim，ofcourse，butSamuelwouldworshipahyenaifitplayedfootball。
　　ButthisSmithboy“——inMrs。Wyeth’smindanymaleunderthirtywasaboy——“seemstohavesomecommonsenseandamindofhisown。I
　　don’tapproveofhisnamenorthehowlingwildernesshecomesfrom，buthecan’thelpthosedrawbacks，Isuppose。However，ifheistocallherewemustknowsomethingabouthim。Ishallmakeinquiries。“
　　CHAPTERXII
　　TheschooltermendedonaSaturdaymorninginmid-December。Mary’strunkwaspackedandready，andsheanditreachedtheSouthStationlongbeforetraintime。Shewasgoinghome，homefortheholidays，andifshehadbeengoingonatriparoundtheworldshecouldnothavebeenmoredelightedattheprospect。AndherdelightandanticipationsweresharedinSouthHarniss。Heruncles’lettersforthepastfortnighthadcontainedlittleexceptjoyfulannouncementsofpreparationsforhercoming。
　　Wearecountingtheminutes[wroteZoeth]。ThefirstthingShadrachdoeseverymorningistoscratchanotherdayoffthecalendar。I
　　neversawhimsoworkedupandexcitedandIcalculateIain’tmuchdifferentmyself。ItrynottosetmyheartonthingsofthisworldmorethanIoughtto，butitdoesseemasifIcouldn’tthinkofmuchelsebutourgirl’scomingbacktous。IamnotgoingtoworrythewayShadrachdoesaboutyourgettingheresafeandsound。TheLord’sbeenmightygoodtousandIamsureHewillfetchyoutoourdoorallright。IamcontentedtotrustyouinHishands。
　　P。S。Oneorbothofuswillmeetyouatthedepot。
　　CaptainShad’sepistlewasmoreworldlybutnotmorecoherent。
　　Besureandtakethetrainthatcomesrightonthrough[hewrote]。
　　Don’ttaketheonethatgoestoWoodsHole。Zoethissofidgetyandnervousforfearyouwillmakeamistakethathekeepsmeonpinsandneedles。Isaiahain’tmuchbetter。Hesweptoutthesetting-
　　roomtwicelastweekandifhedon’troastthecatinsteadofthechickenheiscalculatingtokill，itwillbeamercy。IamtheonlyoneaboardtheshipthatkeepshisheadandItellthemnottoworry。Besureyoutakethatthroughtrain。Andlookoutforthemelectriccars，ifyoucometothedepotinone。Bettersettleontheoneyouaregoingtotakeandthentaketheoneaheadofitsoastobesureandnotbelate。Yourtrainleavesthedockatquarter-pastfour。TheWoodsHoleoneistwominutesearlier。Lookoutandnottakethat。Zoethisafraidyouwillmakeamistake，butIlaughathim。Don’ttakethewrongtrain。
　　Marylaughedwhenshereadtheseletters，buttherewasachokeinthelaugh。InspiteoftheperilsoftravelbytheelectricsandtheNewHavenrailroad，shereachedSouthHarnisssafe，sound，andreasonablyontime。ThefirstpersonshesawontheplatformofthestationwasCaptainShadrach。Hehadbeenpacingthatplatformforatleastfortyminutes。
　　Hespiedheratthesametimeandcamerushingtogreether，bothhandsoutstretched。
　　“Andhereyoube！“heexclaimedwithenthusiasm。
　　Marylaughedhappily。
　　“Yes，UncleShad，hereIam，“shesaid。“Areyougladtoseeme？“
　　Shadrachlookedather。
　　“JUMPIN’！“wastheonlyanswerhemade，butitwasferventandsufficient。
　　Theyrodehometogetherintheoldbuggy。AstheyreachedthecornerbythestoreMaryexpectedthevehicletobebroughttoahaltatthecurb，butitwasnot。TheCaptainchirrupedtothehorseanddrovestraighton。
　　“Why，UncleShad！“exclaimedthegirl。“Aren’tyougoingtostop？“
　　“Eh？Stop？Whatfor？“
　　“Why，toseeUncleZoeth，ofcourse。He’satthestore，isn’the？“
　　Shadrachshookhishead。
　　“No，heain’t，“hesaid。“He’stohome。“
　　Marywasamazedandatriflealarmed。OnepartnerofHamiltonandCompanywasthereinthebuggywithher。ByalltherulesofprecedentandSouthHarnissbusinesstheothershouldhavebeenatthestore。Sheknewthatheruncleshademployednoclerkorassistantsincesheleft。
　　“But——butisUncleZoethsick？“sheasked。
　　“Sick？No，no，courseheain’tsick。Ifhedidn’thavenobettersensethantogetsickthedayyoucomehomeI’d——I’d——Idon’tknow’sIwouldn’tdrownhim。HEain’tsick——unless，“headded，asanafterthought，“he’sgotSaintVitusdancefromhoppin’upanddowntolookoutofthewindow，watchin’forus。“
　　“Butifheisn’tsick，whyisn’theatthestore？Whoisthere？“
　　TheCaptainchuckled。
　　“Notasolitarysoul，“hedeclared。“Thatstore’sshutuptightandit’sgoin’tostaythatwaythiswholeblessedevenin’。Zoethandmewetalkeditover。Ididn’tknowbutwe’dbettergetAbelSnow’sboyorthatpeskyAnnabelorsomebodytostaywhilewewashavin’
　　supper。Yousee，wewasbothsotoneatin’supperwithyoutonight，nomatterstoreornot，andIsaiah，hewasjustassotaswewas。
　　ButalltoonceZoethhadanidea。’Shadrach，’hesays，’inScriptur’timeswhenpeoplewasrealhappy，sameaswearenow，theyusedtomakeasacrificetotheAlmightytoshowhowgladandgratefultheywas。Let’syouandmemakeasacrifice；let’ssacrificethisevenin’strade——let’sshutupthestoreonaccountofourgirl’scomin’home。’’Goodidea！’saysI，sowedidit。“
　　Marylookedathimreproachfully。
　　“Oh，UncleShad，“shesaid，“youshouldn’thavedonethat。Itwasdearandsweetofyoutothinkofit，butyoushouldn’thavedoneit。Itdidn’tneedanysacrificetoprovethatyouweregladtoseeme。“
　　Shadrachwinkedoverhisshoulder。
　　“Don’tletthatsacrificeworryyouany，“heobserved。“ThesacrificeismainlyinZoeth’seye。Fur’sI’mconcerned——well，JabezHedgestoldmeyesterdaythatRastusYoungtoldhimhecal’latedhe’dhavetobedroppin’inatthestoresomeofthesenightstobuysomerubberbootsandnewileskins。Wesoldhimtheoneshe’sgotfouryearsagoandheain’tpaidfor’emyet。No，no，Mary-’Gusta，don’tyouworryaboutthatsacrifice。IcansacrificeRastusYoung’stradeeightdaysintheweekandmakemoneybyit。
　　CourseIdidn’ttellZoeththat；havetohumorthesepiousfolksmuchaswecan，youknow。“
　　Marysmiled，butsheshookherhead。“It’snouseyourtalkingtomeinthatway，UncleShad，“shesaid。“Iknowyoutoowell。AndrightintheChristmasseason，too！“