a small foot
and leg, the latter covered by a black stocking. The foot wiggled
about, feeling for the step. It found it, the cover was thrown aside and
Mary-'Gusta appeared, a pathetic little figure, with rumpled hair and
tear-stained cheeks. Rose and Rosette, the two dolls, were hugged in her
arms.

Judge Baxter patted her on the head. Zoeth and Shadrach looked solemn
and ill at ease. Mary-'Gusta looked at the floor and sniffed dolefully.

"Mary-'Gusta," said the Judge, "these two gentlemen are old friends of
your father's and," with a pardonable stretching of the truth, "they
have come all the way from South Harniss to meet you. Now you must shake
hands with them. They like little girls."

Mary-'Gusta obediently moved forward, shifted Rosette to the arm
clasping Rose, and extended a hand. Slowly she raised her eyes, saw Mr.
Hamilton's mild, gentle face and then, beside it, the face of Captain
Shadrach Gould. With a cry she dropped both dolls, ran back to the
surrey and fumbled frantically with the dust cover.

Baxter, surprised and puzzled, ran after her and prevented her climbing
into the carriage.

"Why, Mary-'Gusta," he demanded, "what is the matter?"

The child struggled and then, bursting into a storm of sobs, hid her
face in the dust cover.

"I--I didn't mean to," she sobbed, wildly. "I didn't mean to. Honest
I didn't. I--I didn't know. I didn't mean to. Please don't let him.
PLEASE!"

The Judge held her close and did his best to calm her.

"There, there, child," he said. "No one's going to hurt you."

"Yes--yes, they are. Mrs. Hobbs said she shouldn't wonder if he knocked
my--my head right off."

"Knocked your head off! Who?"

"Him."

She raised her hand and pointed a shaking finger straight at Captain
Shadrach.

All three of her hearers were surprised, of course, but in the case of
the Captain himself amazement was coupled with righteous indignation.

"Wha-what?" he stammered. "Who said so? What kind of talk's that? Said I
was goin' to knock your head off? I was?"

Baxter laughed. "No, no, Mary-'Gusta," he said; "you're mistaken. Mrs.
Hobbs couldn't have said any such thing. You're mistaken, dear."

"No, I ain't," with another sob; "she did say so. She said he would
knock my head--ah--ah--off and--and put me in jail, too. And I didn't
mean to do it; honest, truly I didn't."

The Judge looked at his companions and shook his head as if the
conundrum was beyond his guessing. Captain Shad