he's there, but Zach isn't lively company,
especially for a girl like Lulie. If Jethro was taken--well, with a fit
or somethin', Zach would probably sit down and cross those bow legs of
his and moralize for an hour or so before he got ready to help pick the
old man up. Nelson knows that and so he refused two real good offers
he had and took the position at the South Wellmouth depot. But he's
studyin' at his wireless all the time and some day--but I'm afraid that
day will be a long way off. Cap'n Jeth is as set as the side of a stone
wharf and you'd have to take him to pieces to move him. That was another
of father's sayin's," she added, "that about the stone wharf."

"Why, why is the--ah--why is Captain Hallet so opposed to young Howard?"
asked Galusha.

"Spiritualism. Foolishness, that's all. Before his wife died he was as
sensible and shrewd a man as you'd care to see. He and father were old
chums and father used to ask his advice about investments and all such
things. They went into lots of deals together and generally made 'em
pay, though Jethro usually made the most because he took more chances.
He must be worth twenty or thirty thousand dollars, Cap'n Jeth Hallett
is."

She spoke as if these were enormous sums. Galusha, to whom all
sums--sums of money, that is--were more or less alike, nodded gravely.

"His wife's death broke Jethro dreadfully," continued Martha. "For
six months or so he hardly spoke to anybody except Lulie. Then some
Spiritualist or other--I think it was Ophelia Beebe or some rattlehead
like her--got him to go to see a medium who was boardin' here at the
Restabit Inn. He got--or thinks he got--a communication direct from
Julia--his wife. After that he kept goin' to the Spiritualist camp
meetin's and to Boston and to mediums from Dan to Beersheba, so to
speak. A while ago one medium creature--and I wish she had been struck
dumb before she could say it--told him that he must beware of a dark man
who was tryin' to work evil upon his daughter. As luck would have it,
Nelson Howard was home on leave and callin' on Lulie when her father got
back from seein' that very medium. You can imagine what happened. And
Jethro has been growin' more rabid on the subject ever since."

She stopped. Her guest said nothing. He was thinking that if he were to
make the suggestion--the proposition which he had determined upon before
he came down to supper, he must make it soon. And he did not know how to
begin.

Ma