sentence unfinished. "Never mind what she done," she went on.
"I can't tell you now; I declare I'd be ashamed to. I'll go get her."

She marched from the room. Zoeth rubbed his forehead.

"She seems sort of put out, don't she," he observed, mildly.

Baxter nodded. "Susan Hobbs has the reputation of getting 'put out'
pretty often," he said. "She has a temper and it isn't a long one."

"Has she been takin' care of Marcellus's girl?" asked Zoeth.

"Yes. As much care as the child has had."

Captain Shad snorted. It was evident that the housekeeper's manner had
not impressed him favorably.

"Humph!" he said. "I'd hate to have her take care of me, judgin' by the
way she looked just now. Say," hopefully, "do you suppose SHE was the
one fixed that chair?"

They heard Mrs. Hobbs on the floor above, shouting:

"Mary-'Gusta! Mary-'Gusta! Where are you? Answer me this minute!"

"Don't seem to be in that room she was talkin' about," grumbled
Shadrach. "Tut! Tut! What a voice that is! Got a rasp to it like a rusty
saw."

Mrs. Hobbs was heard descending the stairs. Her face, when she reentered
the sitting-room, was red and she looked more "put out" than ever.

"She ain't there," she answered, angrily. "She's gone."

"Gone?" repeated Zoeth and Shadrach in chorus.

"Gone?" repeated the Judge. "Do you mean she's run away?"

"No, no! She ain't run away--not for good; she knows better than that.
She's sneaked off and hid, I suppose. But I know where she is. I'll have
her here in a minute."

She was hurrying out again, but the Captain detained her.

"Wait!" he commanded. "What's that you say? You know where she is?"

"Yes, or I can guess. Nine chances to one she's out in that barn."

"In the barn? What's she doin' there--playin' horse?"

"No, no. She's hidin' in the carriage room. Seems as if the child was
possessed to get out in that dusty place and perch herself in the old
carryall. She calls it her playhouse and you'd think 'twas Heaven the
way she loves to stay there. But today of all days! And with her best
clothes on! And after I expressly told her--"

"Yes, yes; all right. Humph! Well, Zoeth, what do you say? Shall we
go to Heaven and hunt for her? Maybe 'twill be the only chance some of
us'll get, you can't tell," with a wink at Baxter.

"Hush, Shadrach! How you do talk!" protested the shocked Mr. Hamilton.

"Let's go out to the barn and find the young-one ourselves," said the
Captain. "Seems the simplest