-"

"Be still! Be still, for mercy sakes! What do you know about Ed Farmer?
Who told you about him?"

The girl was more frightened than ever. Isaiah's next move did not tend
to reassure her. He strode to the door, looked up the lane, and closed
and locked the door before she could find words to answer.

"Now, then," he said, coming close to her and looking her straight in
the face, "who told you about Ed Farmer?"

"Nobody told me. Honest, they didn't."

"Somebody must have told you; else how did you know?"

Mary-'Gusta hesitatingly held up the photograph. "It's written on this,"
she said.

Mr. Chase snatched it from her hand. He looked at the picture and then
at her.

"It's written on the back," went on the girl.

Isaiah turned the photograph over.

"Humph!" he said suspiciously. "I see. Who gave this to you?"

"Nobody gave it to me. I found it in an old trunk up in the attic."

"Humph! You did, eh? Well, I swan to man! Have you showed it to anybody
else but me?"

"No, sir. Honest, I haven't. I just found it this minute."

"Well, I swan, that's lucky. 'Twas in a trunk, eh? Whose trunk?"

"One of Uncle Shad's, I guess."

"Humph! I presume likely. Well, what made you ask about--about the one
you did ask about?"

"I knew who the others were. I knew my father and Uncle Zoeth and Uncle
Shad. But I didn't know who the Farmer one was. It says 'Firm of Hall
and Company,' and all those names are signed. So I thought maybe Mr.
Farmer was--"

"Never you mind who he was. He was a darned blackguard and his name ain't
mentioned in this house. That's all I can tell you and you mustn't ask
any more questions. Why, if your Uncle Zoeth--yes, or your Uncle Shad
either--was to hear you askin' about him--they'd--I don't know what
they'd do. I'm goin' to tear this thing up."

He would have torn the photograph across, but the girl seized his hands.

"Oh, no, you mustn't," she cried. "Please don't. It isn't mine. It
belongs to Uncle Shad. You mustn't tear it--give it to me."

Isaiah hesitated. "Give it to you?" he repeated. "What'll you do with
it?"

"I'll put it right back where I found it. Truly, I will. I will, honest,
Mr. Chase."

Isaiah reflected. Then, and with considerable reluctance, he handed her
the photograph.

"All right," he said, "only be sure you do it. And look here,
Mary-'Gusta, don't you ever touch it again and don't you ever tell
either of your uncles or anybody else that you found it. You hea