an't hardly
believe it. It's disgraceful."

Zoeth smiled. "Oh, be still, Shadrach," he said. "You bear up under the
disgrace as well as anybody ever I saw. You know perfectly well you was
tickled to death to have her tie that necktie on you. You was grinnin'
like a Chessy cat all the time."

"I wasn't, neither. I was chokin', not grinnin'. You don't know a grin
from a choke."

Zoeth changed the subject. "It's a mighty pretty necktie," he declared.
"There ain't anybody in this town, unless it's Philander Bearse's wife,
that can crochet any better'n that girl of ours."

Shadrach snorted. "What are you talkin' about?" he demanded. "Etta
Bearse never saw the day she could crochet like that. No, nor do
anything else so well, either. Look at the way our candy trade has
picked up since Mary-'Gusta fixed up the showcase. You cal'lated 'twas
all right the way 'twas afore and thought 'twas foolish to change, but
she changed it and--well, we've sold a third again as much candy."

Zoeth's smile broadened. "Seems as if I remember your sayin' a few
things about that showcase," he remarked. "You gave me fits for lettin'
her fuss with it. Annabel was in t'other day and she said folks thought
'twas queer enough our lettin' a thirteen-year-old child run our store
for us."

"She did, eh? She's jealous, that's what ails her. And to think of HER
sayin' it. That Annabel's all brass, like a ship's spyglass. By the
jumpin' Judas! I'm proud of that showcase and I'm proud of Mary-'Gusta.
She don't make many mistakes: I can't remember of her makin' any."

"Neither can I, not even in neckties. There, there, Shadrach! I know
you. You talk about disgrace and such, but you're as crazy about
Mary-'Gusta as--as--"

"As you are, eh? Well, maybe I am, Zoeth. When she was first willed to
us, as you might say, I used to wonder how we'd ever get along with her;
now I wonder how we got along without her. If she should be--er--took
away from us, I don't know--"

"Sshh, shh, Shadrach! Don't talk about anything like that."

Mary-'Gusta was making good progress at school. At fourteen she
graduated from the grammar school and in the fall was to enter the
high school. She was popular among her mates, although she never sought
popularity.

At picnics and church sociables she had always a small circle about
her and the South Harniss boys were prominent in that circle. But
Mary-'Gusta, although she liked boys and girls well enough, never showed
a likin