“You——youdon’tmeanthat，Judge？“gaspedZoeth。
“Poor？Marcelluspoor？“criedShadrach。“Why——why，whatkindoftalk’sthat？Hedidn’thavenomorethantherestofuswhen——“hehesitated，glancedatZoeth，andcontinued，“whenthefirmgiveupbusinessbackin’79；buthewenttoseaagainandmadeconsiderable，andthenhemadeawholelotinstocks。Iknowhedid。Youknowit，too，Zoeth。Howcouldhebepoor？“
“Because，likesomanyotherfortunatespeculators，hecontinuedtospeculateandbecameunfortunate。Helostthebulkofhiswinningsinthestockmarketand——well，tobequitefrank，CaptainHallhasbeenabrokenman，mentallyaswellasphysically，sincehiswife’sdeathandhisownseriousillness。You，yourselves，musthavenoticedthechangeinhishabits。Frombeinganactiveman，amanofaffairs，hebecamealmostahermit。Hesawbutfewpeople，droppedthesocietyofallhisoldfriends，andlivedalone——aloneexceptforhisvarioushousekeepersandMary-’Gusta——thelittlegirl，Imean。Youmusthavenoticedthechangeinhisrelationswithyou。“
Mr。Hamiltonsighed。“Yes，“hesaid，“wenoticedhenevercametoseeusand——and——“
“Andwasn’tover’nabovesociablewhenwecometoseehim，“finishedCaptainShadrach。“Yes，wenoticedthat。ButIsay，Judge，hemusthavehadSOMEmoneyleft。Whatbecameofit？“
“Goodnessknows！Hewasachild，sofarasmoneymatterswent，inhislateryears。Verylikelyhefrittereditawayinmorestockventures；Iknowheboughtalotofgoodfornothingminingshares。
Atanyrateithasgone，allexceptafewthousands。Thehouseandlandwherehelivedismortgageduptothehandle，andIimaginetherearedebts，agoodmanyofthem。ButwhateverthereisislefttoMary-’Gusta——everyonecallsherthatandIseemtohavecaughtthehabit。Itislefttoher——intrust。“
CaptainShadrachthoughtthisover。“Intrustwithyou，Ipresumelikely，“heobserved。“Well，asIsaidafore，hecouldn’thavefoundabetterman。“
“HEthoughthecould，twobettermen。Iratherthinkhewasright。
Youarethetwo，gentlemen。“
ThisstatementdidnothavetheeffectwhichtheJudgeexpected。Heexpectedexclamationsandprotests。Insteadhisvisitorslookedateachotherandathiminapuzzledfashion。
“Er——er——whatwasthat？“queriedMr。Hamilton。“Ididn’texactlyseemtocatchthat，somehowor’nother。“
JudgeBaxterturnedtotheCaptain。
“Youunderstoodme，didn’tyou，CaptainGould？“heasked。
Shadrachshookhishead。
“Why——why，no，“hestammered；“itdidn’tseemtosoakin，somehow。
Cal’latemyheadmusthavestoppedgoin’；maybetheshockIhadaspellagobrokethemainspring。AllIseemtoberealsartinofjustnowisthattheCampbellsarecomin’。Whatwasityousaid？“
“IsaidthatCaptainMarcellusHallhasleftwhateverpropertyheowned，afterhiscreditorsaresatisfied，tohisstepdaughter。Hehasleftitintrustuntilshebecomesofage。Andheasksyoutwotoacceptthattrustandthecareofthechild。Isthatplain？“
Itwasplainandtheyunderstood。Butwithunderstandingcame，apparently，aspeciesofparalysisofthevocalorgans。Zoethturnedpaleandleanedbackinhischair。Shadrach’smouthopenedandclosedseveraltimes，buthesaidnothing。
“Ofcourse，“wentonBaxter，“beforeIsayanymoreIthinkyoushouldbetoldthis：ItwasCaptainHall’swishthatyoujointlyaccepttheguardianshipofMary’-Gusta——ofthegirl——thatshelivewithyouandthatyouusewhatevermoneycomestoherfromherstepfather’sestateineducatingandclothingher。Also，ofcourse，thatacertainsumeachweekbepaidyoufromthatestateasherboard。ThatwasMarcellus’swish；butitisawish，nothingmore。
Itisnotbindinguponyouinanyway。Youhaveaperfectrighttodeclineand——“
CaptainShadrachinterrupted。
“Heaveto！“heordered，breathlessly。“Comeupintothewindaminute，formercysakes！DoyoumeantosaythatmeandZoethareaskedtotakethatyoung-onehomewithus，andtakecareofher，anddressher，and——andeather，andbringherupand——and——“
Hepaused，incoherentinhisexcitement。TheJudgenodded。
“Yes，“hereplied，“thatiswhatheasksyoutodo。But，asIsay，youarenotobligedtodoit；thereisnolegalobligation。Youcansayno，ifyouthinkitbest。“
“Ifwethink——forthundersakes，Baxter，whatwasthematterwithMarcellus？Washeoutofhishead？Washeloony？“
“No，hewasperfectlysane。“
“Then——then，what——Zoeth，“turningwildlytoMr。Hamilton，whostillsat，paleandspeechless，inhischair；“Zoeth，“hedemanded，“didyoueverhearsuchcrazinessinyourlife？DidyoueverHEARsuchstuff？“
Zoethmerelyshookhishead。Hissilenceappearedtoaddtohisfriend’sexcitement。
“Didyou？“heroared。
Zoethmutteredsomethingtotheeffectthathedidn’tknowasheeverdid。
“Youdon’tknow！Yes，youdoknow，too。Speakup，whydon’tyou？
Don’tsittherelikeaship’sfiggerhead，starin’atnothin’。Youknowit’scrazinessaswell’sIdo。ForGodsakes，saysomethin’！
TALK！“
Mr。Hamiltontalked——tothisextent：
“Hush，Shadrach，“hefaltered。“Don’tbeprofane。“
“Profane！Pup-pup-profane！Yousetthereand——and——Oh，jumpin’，creepin’Judas！I——I——“Language——evenhislanguage——failedtoexpresshisfeelingsandhewavedhisfistsandsputtered。Baxterseizedtheopportunity。
“Beforeyoumakeyourdecision，gentlemen，“hesaid，“Ihopeyouwillconsiderthesituationcarefully。Thegirlisonlysevenyearsold；shehasnorelationsanywhere，sofarasweknow。Ifyoudeclinethetrustaguardianwillhavetobeappointedbythecourts，Isuppose。Whothatguardianwillbe，orwhatwillbecomeofthepoorchildI’msureIdon’tknow。AndCaptainMarcelluswasperfectlysane；heknewwhathewasdoing。“
Shadrachinterrupted。
“Hedid！“heshouted。“Well，then，Imustsay——“
“Justaminute，please，Ihavealetterherewhichhewroteatthetimehemadehiswill。Itisaddressedtobothofyou。Hereitis。
ShallIreadittoyou，orhadyouratherreadityourselves？“
Zoethanswered。“Iguessmaybeyou’dbetterreadit，Judge，“hesaid。“Idon’tcal’lateShadrachnormearecapableofreadin’muchofanythingjustthisminute。Youreadit。Shadrach，youbestillnowandlisten。“
TheCaptainopenedhismouthandraisedahand。“Bestill，Shadrach，“repeatedZoeth。Thehandfell。CaptainGouldsighed。
“Allright，Zoeth，“hesaid。“I’llkeepmybatchclosedlong’sI
can。Heaveahead，Judge。“
Theletterwasalongone，coveringseveralsheetsoffoolscap。Itbegan：
ToShadrach，GouldandZoethHamilton，myoldpartnersandfriends。
DEARSHADANDZOETH：
IamwritingthistoyoubecauseIhaveknownyouprettymuchallmylifeandyouaretheonlyrealfriendsIhavegotinthisworld。
“Iwashisfriend，orItriedtobe，“commentedBaxter，interruptinghisreading；“butheconsideredyoutwo，andalwaysspokeofyou，ashisoldestandnearestfriends。Hehasoftentoldmethatheknewhecoulddependonyou。Nowlisten。“
Theletterwentontostatethatthewriterrealizedhishealthwasnolongergood，thathewaslikelytodieatanytimeandwasquitereconciled。
Ishouldbegladtogo[CaptainHallhadwritten]，ifitwasnotforonething。SincemywifewastookfrommeIcarepreciouslittleforlifeandthesooneritendsthebetter。ThatisthewayIlookatit。ButIhaveastepdaughter，MaryAugustaLathrop，andforhersakeImuststicktotheshipaslongasIcan。Ihavenotbeentherightkindoffathertoher。Ihavetried，butIdon’tseemtoknowhowandIguesslikelyIwastoooldtolearn。WhenIgoshewon’thavearelationtolookoutforher。ThathastroubledmealotandIhavethoughtaboutitmorethanalittle，Icantellyou。AndsoIhavedecidedtoleaveherinyourcare。Iamhopingyouwilltakechargeofherandbringheruptobeagoodgirlandagoodwoman，sameashermotherwasbeforeher。Iknowyoutwowillbejusttheonesforthejob。
“Jumpin’fire！“brokeinShadrach，theirrepressible。
“Hush，Shadrach，“continuedMr。Hamilton。“Goon，Judge。“
Baxtercontinuedhisreading。Thelettertoldofthewill，oftheproperty，whateveritmightbe，leftintrustforthechild，andofthewriter’sdesirethatitmightbeused，whenturnedintomoney，forhereducation。Thereweretwopagesoframblingreferencestostocksandinvestments，theveryvaguenessofthesereferencesprovingtheweakeningshrewdnessandlackofbusinessacumenofCaptainHallinhislateryears。Thencamethis：
WhenthisfirstcomestoyouIknowyouwillbothfeelyouarenotfittedtotakechargeofmygirl。Youwillsaythatneitherofyouhashadanychildrenofhisownandyouhavenotgotexperienceinthatline。ButIhavethoughtitoverandIknowIamright。I