SheraisedherhandandpointedashakingfingerstraightatCaptainShadrach。
　　Allthreeofherhearersweresurprised，ofcourse，butinthecaseoftheCaptainhimselfamazementwascoupledwithrighteousindignation。
　　“Wha-what？“hestammered。“Whosaidso？Whatkindoftalk’sthat？
　　SaidIwasgoin’toknockyourheadoff？Iwas？“
　　Baxterlaughed。“No，no，Mary-’Gusta，“hesaid；“you’remistaken。
　　Mrs。Hobbscouldn’thavesaidanysuchthing。You’remistaken，dear。“
　　“No，Iain’t，“withanothersob；“shedidsayso。Shesaidhewouldknockmyhead——ah——ah——offand——andputmeinjail，too。AndI
　　didn’tmeantodoit；honest，trulyIdidn’t。“
　　TheJudgelookedathiscompanionsandshookhisheadasiftheconundrumwasbeyondhisguessing。CaptainShadgroaned。
　　“Byfire！“heejaculated。“Allhandshavegoneloony，young-onesandall。And，“withconviction，“I’montheroadmyself。“
　　ZoethHamiltonsteppedforwardandheldouthishands。
　　“Comehere，dearie，“hesaid，gently；“comehereandtellmeallaboutit。NeithermenortheCap’n’sgoin’tohurtyouamite。Welikelittlegirls，bothofusdo。Nowyoucomeandtellmeaboutit。“
　　Mary-’Gusta’ssobsceased。Shelookedatthespeakerdoubtfully。
　　“Come，don’tbescared，“beggedZoeth。“We’regoin’tobegoodfriendstoyou。Weknewyourfatherandhethoughteverythingofus。Youain’tgoin’tobeafraidoffolksthatwasyourPa’schums。
　　Youcomehereandlet’stalkitover。“
　　SlowlyMary-’Gustacrossedtheroom。Zoethsatdownuponanemptyboxnearthedoorandliftedthegirltohisknee。
　　“Nowyouain’tafraidofme，beyou？“heaskedquietly。
　　Mary-’Gustashookherhead，butherbigeyeswerefixeduponCaptainShadrach’sface。
　　“No-o，“shefaltered。“I——IguessIain’t。Butyouwasn’ttheoneIdiditto。Itwashim。“
　　JudgingbytheCaptain’sexpressionhisconvictionthatallhands，himselfincluded，hadlosttheirreasonwasmomentarilygrowingfirmer。
　　“ME？“hegasped。“Youdonesomethin’tomeandI——well，byJudas，thisis——“
　　“Hush，Shadrach！Whatwasityoudone，Mary，thatmadeyouafraidofCap’nGould？Tellme。Iwon’thurtyouandIwon’tletanybodyelse。“
　　“YOUwon’tlet——ZoethHamilton，Iswan，I——“
　　“Bestill，Shadrach，formercysakes！Now，whatwasit，dearie？“
　　Mary-’Gustahesitated。ThensheburiedherfaceinMr。Hamilton’sjacketandsobbedaconfession。
　　“I——Imadeitgo，“shecried。“I——Ibrokethe——thecatch——anditwaswoundupand——anditwentoff。ButIdidn’tknow。Ididn’tmean——“
　　“There，there，courseyoudidn’t。Weknowyoudidn’t。Whatwasitthatwentoff？“
　　“The——themusicchair。ItwasinthecornerandMr。Halletttookitand——andIcouldn’tsayanything’causeMrs。HobbssaidImustn’tspeakawordatthefuneral。And——andhesetinitanditplayedand——Oh，don’tlethimputmeinjail！Pleasedon’t。“
　　Anotherburstoftears。Mary-’GustaclungtightlytotheHamiltonjacket。JudgeBaxterlookedasifalighthadsuddenlybrokenuponthedarknessofhismind。
　　“Isee，“hesaid。“Youwereresponsibleforthe’Campbells。’I
　　see。“
　　Shadrachdrewalongbreath。
　　“Whew！“hewhistled。“Soshewastheone。Well，Iswan！“
　　Zoethstrokedthechild’shair。
　　“That’sallright，dearie，“hesaid。“Nowdon’tyouworryaboutthat。Wedidn’tknowwhodidit，butnowwedoandit’sallright。
　　Weknowyoudidn’tmeanto。“
　　“Won’t——won’theknockmyheadoff？“
　　“No，no，coursehewon’t。Tellherso，Shadrach。“
　　CaptainShadrachpulledathisbeard。Thenheburstintoalaugh。
　　“Iwon’thurtyoufornothin’，sis，“hesaid，heartily。“It’sallrightanddon’tyoufretaboutit。Accidentswillhappeneveninthebestregulated——er——funerals；though，“withabroadgrin，“I
　　hopeanotheronelikethat’llneverhappentoME。Nowdon’tyoucryanymore。“
　　Mary-’Gustaraisedherheadandregardedhimsteadily。
　　“Won’tIbeputinjail？“sheasked，morehopefully。
　　“Indeedyouwon’t。Ineverputanybodyinjailinmylife；though，“
　　withanemphaticnod，“there’ssomefolksoughttogothereforfrightenin’childrenoutoftheirsenses。DidthatMrs。HobbstellyouIwasgoin’to——whatwasit？——knockyourheadoffandalltherest？“
　　“Yes，sir，shedid。“
　　“Well，she’sa——she’swhatsheis。Whatelsedidshesaytoyou？“
　　“She——shesaidIwasabad，wickedchildandshehopedI’dbesenttothe——theorphans’home。Ifshewastohavethecareofme，shesaid，she’dmakemewalkachalkorknowwhy。AndshesentmetomyroomandsaidIcouldn’thaveanysupper。“
　　ZoethandtheCaptainlookedateachother。Baxterfrowned。
　　“Ontheverydayofherfather’sfuneral，“hemuttered。
　　“Can’tIhaveanysupper？“beggedMary-’Gusta。“I’mawfulhungry；I
　　didn’twantmuchdinner。“
　　Zoethnodded。Histone，whenhespoke，wasnotsomildaswasusualwithhim。
　　“Youshallhaveyoursupper，“hesaid。
　　“And——andmustIgototheorphans’home？“
　　Nooneansweredatonce。ZoethandCaptainShadagainlookedateachotherandtheJudgelookedatthemboth。
　　“MustI？“repeatedMary-’Gusta。“I——Idon’twantto。I’dratherdie，Iguess，andgotoHeaven，sameasMotherandFather。ButMrs。
　　Hobbssaystheydon’thaveanydollsnorcatsinHeaven，soIdon’tknow’sI’dwanttogothere。“
　　Baxterwalkedtothewindowandlookedout。CaptainShadrachreachedintohispocket，producedacrumpledhandkerchief，andblewhisnoseviolently。Zoethstrokedthechild’shair。
　　“Mary-’Gusta，“hesaid，afteramoment，“howwouldyouliketogoovertoSouthHarnissand——andseemeandCap’nGouldalittlewhile？Justmakeusavisit，youknow。Thinkyou’dlikethat？“
　　TheCaptainstarted。“Goodland，Zoeth！“heexclaimed。“Becarefulwhatyou’resayin’。“
　　“Iain’tsayin’anythingdefinite，Shadrach。Iknowhowyoufeelaboutit。Ijustwantedtoseehowshefeltherself，that’sall。
　　Thinkyou’dlikethat，Mary-’Gusta？“
　　Mary-’Gustathoughtitover。“IguessmaybeIwould，“shesaid，“ifIcouldtakemydollsandDavid。Iwouldn’twanttoleaveDavid。
　　Mrs。Hobbsdon’tlikecats。“
　　AndatthatmomentMrs。Hobbsherselfappearedinthedoorwayofthecarriageroom。Shesawthechildandhereyessnapped。
　　“Soshewashere，“shesaid。“Ithoughtasmuch。Mary-’Gusta，whatdidyourunawayfromthatroomfor？Didn’tIforbidyouleavin’
　　it？She’sbeenabadgirl，JudgeBaxter，“sheadded，“andIcan’tmakeherbehave。Itrymybest，butI’msureIdon’tknowwhattodo。“
　　CaptainShadrachthrustbothhandsintohispockets。
　　“Itellyouwhattodo，“hesaid，sharply。“Yougointothehouseandputsomeofherthingsintoavaliseorsatchelorsomethin’。
　　Andhurryupasfastasyoucan。“
　　Mrs。Hobbswasastonished。
　　“Put’eminasatchel？“sherepeated。“Whatfor？Where’sshegoin’？“
　　“She’sgoin’homealongwithmeandZoeth。Andshe’sgottostartinsideofhalfanhour。Youhurry。“
　　“But——but——“