fashioned——’Patience，wifeofEdwinSmith。’IonlymentionthistoshowyouhowlittleDadtalksabouthimself，butitwasoddIshouldfinditoutthatway，wasn’tit？Butthere！Idon’tsupposeyou’reinterestedintheSmithgenealogy。Iapologize。Ineverthinkofdiscussingmyfamilyaffairswithanyonebutyou，notevenSam。Butyou——well，somehowIseemtotellyoueverything。Iwonderwhy？“
　　“PerhapsbecauseIasktoomanyquestions。“
　　“No，itisn’tthat。Itisbecauseyouactasifyoureallycaredtohavemetalkaboutmyownaffairs。Inevermetagirlbeforethatdid。Now，Iwanttoaskyouaboutthatclubbusiness。There’sgoingtobethedeuceandalltopayinthatifI’mnotcareful。
　　Haveyouthoughtitover？WhatwouldyoudoifyouwereI？“
　　Thematterinquestionwasasomewhatdelicateandcomplicatedone，dealingwiththeadmissionorrejectionofacertainfellowtooneoftheHarvardsocieties。Therewasastronginfluenceworkingtogethiminand，ontheotherhand，thereweresomeverygoodobjectionstohisadmission。Crawford，presidentoftheclubandoneofitsmostinfluentialmembers，wasundecidedwhattodo。HehadexplainedthecasetoMaryupontheoccasionofhismostrecentvisittothePinckneyStreethouse，andhadaskedheradvice。Shehadtakentimeforconsideration，ofcourse——shewastheoldMary’-
　　Gustastillinthat——andnowtheadvicewasready。
　　“Itseemstome，“shesaid，“thatIshouldtrytosettleitlikethis。“
　　Sheexplainedherplan。Crawfordlistened，atfirstdubiouslyandthenwithsteadilygrowingenthusiasm。
　　“ByGeorge！“heexclaimed，whenshehadfinished。“Thatwoulddoit，Ihonestlybelieve。Howintheworlddidyoueverthinkofthatscheme？Say，youreallyareawonderatmanaging。Youcouldmanageabigbusinessandmakeitgo，I’msure。Howdoyoudoit？Wheredoyougetyourideas？“
　　Marylaughed。Hispraisepleasedher。
　　“Idon’tknow，“sheanswered。“Ijustthinkthemout，Iguess。I
　　doliketomanagethingsforpeople。SometimesIdoitmorethanI
　　should，perhaps。PoorIsaiahChase，athomeinSouthHarniss，saysIbosshimtodeath。AndmyunclessayImanagethem，too——buttheyseemtolikeit，“sheadded。
　　“Idon’twondertheydo。Ilikeit，myself。WillyouhelpmanagemyaffairsbetweennowandCommencement？There’llbeawholelottomanage，betweentheclubandthedanceandalltherestofit。AndthenwhenyougotoCommencementyoucanseeforyourselfhowtheyworkout。“
　　“GotoCommencement？AmIgoingtoCommencement？“
　　“Ofcourseyouare！You’regoingwithme，Ihope。Ithoughtthatwasunderstood。It’salongwayoffyet，butforgoodness’sakedon’tsayyouwon’tcome。I’vebeencountingonit。“
　　Mary’spleasureshowedinherface。Allshesaid，however，was：
　　“Thankyouverymuch。Ishallbeverygladtocome。“
　　ButCommencementwas，asCrawfordsaid，stillagoodwayoffandinthemeantimetherewereweeksofstudy。Theweekspassed，someofthem，andthencametheEastervacation。MaryspentthevacationinSouthHarniss，ofcourse，andastherewasnoChristmasrushtomakeherfeelthatshewasneededatthestore，sherestedanddroveandvisitedandhadathoroughlyhappyandprofitableholiday。Thehappinessandprofitweresharedbyheruncles，itisunnecessarytostate。Whenshequestionedthemconcerningbusinessandtheoutlookforthecomingsummer，theyseemedoptimisticandcheerful。
　　“ButIsaiahsaystherearetwonewstorestobeopenedinthevillagethisspring，“saidMary。“Don’tyouthinktheymayhurtyourtradealittle？“
　　CaptainShadrachdismissedtheideaandhisprospectivecompetitorswithacondescendingwaveofthehand。“Notamite，“hedeclaredscornfully。“Notamite，Mary-’Gusta。HamiltonandCompany’saprettyableoldcraft。Shemaynotshowsomuchgiltpaintandbrassworkassomeofthenewonesjustofftheways，butherpassengersknowshe’sstaunchandthey’llstickbyher。Why，Isaiahwassayin’thatafellerwastellin’himonlyyesterdaythatitdidn’tmakeanydifferencehowmanynewstoreswasstartedinthistown，he’dnevertradeanywheresbutwithHamiltonandCompany。
　　Thatshowsyou，don’tit？“
　　“Whowasitsaidthat，UncleShad？“askedMary。
　　“Eh？Why，Idon’tknow。Isaiahwastellin’meaboutitandwewasinterrupted。Whowasit，Isaiah？“
　　“’TwasRastusYoung，“repliedMr。Chasepromptly。
　　EventheCaptainwasobligedtolaugh，althoughhedeclaredthatMr。
　　Young’sconstancywasaproofthatthefirm’sprospectsweregood。
　　“Rats’llalwaysleaveasinkin’ship，“hesaid，“andifZoethandmewasgoin’underRatYoungwouldbethefirsttoquit。“
　　Zoeth，whenhisniecequestionedhim，expressedconfidencethatthenewcompetitorswouldnotprovedangerous。“TheAlmightyhaslookedafterussofar，“headded，“unworthyaswebe，andIguesshe’llcarryustherestoftheway。PutyourtrustinHim，Mary’-Gusta；I
　　hopetheyteachyouthatuptoschool。“
　　SoMary，whohadbeenrathertroubledatthenewsofHamiltonandCompany’srivalsinthefield，dismissedherfearsasgroundless。
　　Heruncleswereold-fashionedandalittlebehindthetimesinbusinessmethods，butnodoubtthosemethodsweresuitedtoSouthHarnissandtherewasnocauseforworryconcerningthefirm’sfuture。ShemadeIsaiahpromisetokeepherpostedastodevelopmentsandwentbacktoBostonandherschoolwork。
　　CHAPTERXIV
　　Thespringtermwasaninterestingoneandtherewereotherinterestsaswell。Crawfordcalledmorefrequently，theplansforCommencementrequiringagreatdealofdiscussion。Mary’sfondnessformanagingwas，orshouldhavebeen，gratified，forthetalentwasinconstantdemand。SamKeith，who，aftermeetingMaryathiscousin’shouse，hadatfirstdevelopedanamazingfondnessforthatrelative’ssociety，nowcamelessoften。Hewasinthesecondstageofthepretty-girldiseasementionedbyhisaunt；thefeveranddeliriumhadpassed，andhewasnowcoolingoff。Itcannotbesaidthatthefeverhadbeenintheleastencouraged。Marywaspleasantandagreeablewhenhecalled，butshewouldnottreathimasaconfidantoranintimate；shedidnotacceptanyofhisinvitationstodancesorthetheater，andshewouldnotflirteventheleastlittlebit。Thelastwasthemostunsatisfactorydrawback，becausethesusceptibleSamuelwasfondofflirtationsandusuallymanagedtokeepatleastthreegoingatthesametime。Therefore，thecooling-offprocesswas，inthiscase，abitmorerapidthanusual。
　　Sam’scallsanddinnersathiscousinEmily’sresidencehaddecreasedfromtwoorthreetimesaweektoanuncertainonceafortnight。Mary，ofcourse，noticedthis，butshefeltnoregret。
　　Crawford，Sam’sroommate，musthavenoticeditalso，butifhefeltregrethemanagedtoconcealthefeelingremarkablywell。
　　EarlyinMayCaptainShadrachcameuptothecitytobuysummergoodsforthestore。HepositivelyrefusedtomakehisheadquartersatMrs。Wyeth’s，althoughthatladysentanurgentinvitationtohimtodoso。And，evenwhenMaryaddedherownpleatothatofherlandlady，theCaptainstillrefused。
　　Don’taskme，Mary-’Gusta[hewrote]。Forthedearlandsakesdon’taskmetocometothatplaceandstay。I’ddo’mostanythingforyou，andIwilldothatifyouaredeadsotonit，butIdohopeyouain’t。IwillcomeupthereandseeyouofcourseandI’llevenstaytosupperifIgetasked，butDON’Taskmetodropanchorandstaytherenightandday。Icouldn’tstandit。Mybackbone’ssprungbackwardsnowfromsettin’upsostraightlasttimeIwasthere。
　　SoMaryhadpityuponhimandhetookaroomattheQuincyHousewhere，ashesaid，hedidn’thavetokeephisnosedeadonthecourseeveryminute，butcould“laytoandbecomf’table“ifhewantedto。HewasinvitedtosupperattheWyethhouse，however，andwhilethereMrs。Wyethfoundanopportunitytotakehimasideandtalkwithhimonasubjectwhichhefoundinterestingandatrifledisquieting。
　　“Nowmind，“saidthelady，“Iambynomeansconvincedthattheaffairisanythingbutamereboyandgirlfriendship，orthatitiseverlikelytobemorethanthat。ButIdidthinkIoughttotellyouaboutitandthatyoushouldmeettheyoungman。Youhavemethim，yousay？“
　　“Yes，ma’am，“saidShadrach，“I’vemethim。’Twan’tmuchmore’nthat——hejustcameintoourstoredownhome，that’sall。ButIdidmeethimandImustsayIthoughthewasareallikelyyoungfeller。“
　　“Iamgladyouthoughtso。SodoI。HasMarywrittenyouofhiscallshere？“
　　“Oh，yes，ma’am，she’swritten。Sheain’tthekindofgirltokeepanythingbackfromus；atleast，ifsheis，she’schangedaheapsinceshecameawaytoschool。She’stoldusabouthiscomin’hereandaboutyouandhimandhergoin’tothat——what-d’ye-call-it——
　　hookeygame。Shewroteallaboutthat’waylastFebruary。“
　　“Yes，wedidgotothehockeygame。Samuel，mycousinJohnKeith’sboy，playedinit。Now，CaptainGould，Ihaveasuggestiontomake。
　　IthasbeensomeyearssinceyoumetCrawfordSmithandIthink，everythingconsidered，youshouldmeethimagainanddecideforyourselfwhetherornotyoustillconsiderhimaproperyoungpersontocalluponyourniece。SupposeyoudinewithusagaintomorroweveningandIinviteyoungSmithalso。Then——“
　　ButtheCaptaininterrupted。HehadaplanofhisownforthefollowingeveningandanothermealatMrs。Wyeth’swasnotapartofit。
　　“Er——er——excuseme，ma’am，“hecutinhastily，“butIhada——akindofnotionthatMary-’Gustaandmemightgetoursupperata——aeatin’-houseorsomewheretomorrownightandthenmaybewe’dtakein——Imeangotoashow——atheater，Ishouldsay。Ididn’tknowbutI’daskthisyoungSmithfellertogoalong。And——and——“
　　rememberinghispoliteness，“ofcoursewe’dberealgladifyou’dcome，too，“headded。
　　ButMrs。Wyeth，althoughshethankedhimandexpressedherselfasheartilyinfavorofthesupperandtheaterparty，refusedtobecomeamemberofit。TheCaptainboretheshockoftherefusalwith，tosaytheleast，manfulresignation。HehadahugerespectforMrs。
　　Wyeth，andhelikedherbecausehisbelovedMary-’Gustalikedhersowell，buthislikingwasseasonedwithaweandhernointhiscasewasagreatrelief。
　　SothefollowingeveningatsixMaryandherunclemetCrawfordattheQuincyHouseandthethreedinedtogether，afterwhichtheysawtheperformanceof“TheMusicMaster“attheTremontTheater。
　　Crawfordfoundthedinnerquiteasentertainingastheplay。
　　CaptainShadrachwasinhighgoodhumorandhisremarksduringthemealwerecharacteristic。Hepersistedinaddressingthedignifiedwaiteras“Steward“andinreferringtothehotelkitchenasthe“galley。“Heconsultedhisyoungguestsbeforeorderingandacceptedtheirselectionsgracefullyifnotalwayssilently。
　　“Allright，Mary-’Gusta，“heobserved。“Allright，justasyousay。
　　You’retheskipperofthiscrafttonight，andmeandCrawfordherearejustpassengers。Ifyousaywe’vegottoeat——whatisit？——
　　consummersoup——why，Isupposelikelywehave。I’lltakemychancesifCrawfordwill。Course，ifIwasalonehere，I’dprobablysticktooysterstewandroastbeef。Iknowwhattheyare。Andit’ssomecomforttobesureofwhatyou’regettin’，asthesickfellersaidwhenthedoctortoldhimhehadthesmallpoxinsteadofthemeasles。