id. Mary-'Gusta was here 'long with me when he come. I
says: 'Know whose cat 'tis?' and says he, 'I know all right!' I thought
he acted kind of sheepish and funny. I--Here! where you goin'?"

The Captain was on his feet and his cap was in his hand.

"Goin'!" he snarled. "I'm going to make another call on Abner. And,"
with his hand on the latch, "if you hear somebody bein' murdered over in
that direction you needn't call the constable, neither."

"But--but, hold on, Cap'n Shad! You ain't finished your own supper yet
and Zoeth's waiting up to the store for you to come back so's he can
come down and get his."

The reply was emphatic and, in its way, conclusive.

"To the blue brimstone with the supper!" roared Shadrach. "It can wait
and so can Zoeth. If he can't he can do the next best."

He was absent for half an hour. When he returned Mr. Hamilton was in the
dining-room. Shadrach entered, bearing the precious shotgun. He stood it
carefully in the corner. There was a satisfied look in his eye.

"For goodness' sake, Shadrach!" exclaimed Zoeth, "what have you been
thinkin' of? There I was waitin' and waitin' and hankerin' and hankerin'
and no you nor no supper. I had to lock up the store finally. 'Twas
either that or starve. I ain't a fault-finder, generally speakin', but I
have to eat, same as other folks."

His partner paid not the least attention. His first remark was in the
form of a question addressed to Mr. Chase.

"Look here, Isaiah," he demanded, "did I understand you to say that
Mary-'Gusta was with you when that sculpin come to borrow my gun?"

"Yup. She was here."

"And she knew that he was goin' to shoot a cat with it?"

"Sartin, she heard him say so."

Shadrach strode to the mantel, took from it a hand-lamp, lighted the
lamp and with it in his hand walked from the room and ascended the
stairs. Zoeth called after him, but he did not answer.

He entered Mary-'Gusta's room. The child was in bed, the dolls beside
her. She was not asleep, however. The tear stains on her cheeks and the
dampness of the pillow showed how she had spent the time since leaving
the dining-room.

Shadrach put the lamp upon the washstand, pulled a chair beside the bed
and sat down. He took her hand in his.

"Mary-'Gusta," he said, gently, "you knew 'twas my gun that Ab Bacheldor
was tryin' to shoot David with?"

Mary-'Gusta moved her head up and down on the pillow.

"Yes, sir," she said.

"You was here when he borrowed