Youdon’tmindmycallin’you’Crawford，’doyou？“headded，turningtothatyounggentleman。“I’moldenoughtobeyourfather，foronething，andforanotherahandle’sallrightonajugorasasspan，butdon’tseemasif’twasnecessarytotakeholdofafriend’snameby。AndIhopewe’regoin’tobefriends，wethree。“
Crawfordsaidhehopedso，too，andhesaiditwithemphasis。
“Good！“exclaimedtheCaptainwithenthusiasm。“Andwe’llcementthefriendship——thebookfellersarealwaystellin’aboutcementin’
friendships——withthissupperofours，eh？IfweonlyhadsomeofIsaiah’slastbatchofmincemeatwecouldsartinlydoitwiththat；
itwasthenighestthingtocementeverIsawputonatable。I
askedhimifhefilledhispieswithatrowelandyououghttohaveheardhimsputter。YourememberIsaiah，don’tyou，Crawford？Tall，spindlin’critter，sailscookforZoethandmeatthehousedownhome。Heain’tpretty，buthisheart’sintherightplace。That’skindofstrange，too，“headdedwithachuckle，“whenyouconsiderhownighhisshoulder-bladesaretothetopofhislegs。“
Betweenhisstoriesandjokeshefoundtimetoaskhismaleguestafewquestionsandthesequestions，althoughbynomeansoffensivelypersonal，weretothepoint。Heinquiredconcerningtheyoungman’shomelife，abouthisambitionsandplansforthefuture，abouthisfriendsandintimatesatcollege。Crawford，withoutbeingintheleastawarethathewasbeingcatechized，toldagooddeal，andCaptainShadrach’sappraisingregard，whichhadlearnedtojudgemenafloatandashore，readmorethanwastold。Theappraisalwasapparentlysatisfactoryfor，aftertheyoungmanhadgoneandtheCaptainandMaryweresayinggoodnightintheWyethparlor，Shadrachsaid：
“Aniceboy，Ishouldsay。Yes，sir，arealniceyoungfeller，asyoungfellersgo。Ilikehimfust-rate。“
“I’mglad，UncleShad，“saidMary。“Ilikehim，too。“
ShadrachregardedherwithalittleofthequestioningscrutinyhehaddevotedtoCrawfordduringdinner。
“Youdo，eh？“hemused。“Howmuch？“
“Howmuch？“repeatedMary，puzzled。“Whatdoyoumean？“
“Imeanhowmuchdoyoulikehim？More’nyoudoyourUncleZoethandme，forinstance？“
Shelookedupintohisface。Whatshesawtherebroughtthecolortoherown。Hemighthavesaidmore，butsheputherfinger-tipsuponhislips。
“Nonsense！“shesaidhotly。“Whatwicked，sillynonsense，UncleShad！Don’tyouever，eversaysuchathingtomeagain。YouKNOW
better。“
Shadrachsmiledandshookhishead。
“Allright，Mary-’Gusta，“hesaid；“Iwon’tsayitagain——nottillyousayittomefust，atanyrate。There，there，dearie！Don’tblowmecleanoutofthewater。Iwasonlyjokin’，thesameasIsaiahwastryin’tothatnightwhenyoucamehomeforyourChristmasvacation。“
“Idon’tlikethatkindofjoking。Ithinkit’ssilly。“
“Iguessmaybe’tis——foraspell，anyhow。We’llheavethejokesoverboard。Yes，IlikethatCrawfordSmithfust-rate。Butthefunniestthingabouthimisthewayheremindsmeofsomebodyelse。
WhothatsomebodyisIcan’tmakeoutnorremember。MaybeI’llthinksometimeorother，butanyhowIlikehimnowforhisownsake。
Iaskedhimtocomedownandseeussometimethissummer。Wonderifhewill。“
Mary-’Gustawondered，too，butshewouldhavewonderedmorehadsheknownwhatthatcomingsummerwastomeantoher。ThemorningafterthetheaterpartyCaptainShadrachcalledtosaygood-bytoMrs。
Wyeth。ThatladyaskedsomequestionsandlistenedwithinterestandapprovaltohisreportconcerningCrawfordSmith。
“I’mgladyouweresofavorablyimpressedwiththeboy，“shesaid。
“AsItoldyou，Ilikehimmyself。Andyouapproveofhisfriendshipwithyourniece？“
TheCaptainrubbedhischin。“Why，yes，ma’am，“hesaid。“I
approveofthat，allright，andIcal’lateZoethwould，too。Factis，whereMary-’Gusta’sconcerned’tain’tnothin’BUTfriendship，sofur，andIguesslikely’tain’tonhispart，either。Ifitevershouldbemore，then——well，then，ifheturnedouttobeallthathe’doughttobeIcan’tseewhereweoldfolkshavemuchrighttoputouroarin，doyou，ma’am？“
PerhapsMrs。Wyethwastiredofthesubject；perhapssheobjectedtobeingaddressedasoneoftheoldfolks；atanyrate，shemadenoanswer，butaskedaquestioninstead。
“CaptainGould，“shesaid，“whatplanshaveyouandMr。HamiltonmadeforMarythissummer？“
“Plans，ma’am？Why，Idon’tknow’swe’vemadeany。Ofcourse，we’recountin’onhercomin’downtoSouthHarnisswhenshegetsthroughherschool，and——“
“Justamoment，Captain。Ihaveafriendwhoisveryanxioustohaveyouchangethatplanforoneofhers。Comein，Letitia。
CaptainGould，thisismyfriend，MissPease。Now，Letitia，telltheCaptainyourplan——theoneyoutoldmelastnight。“
MissPeasetoldofherplanandCaptainShadlistened，atfirstwithastonishment，thenwithatroubledexpressionandatlastwithacombinationofboth。
“There，“saidMissPease，inconclusion，“thatismyplan。ItmeansagreatdealtomeandIhopeitmaymeansomethingtoMary。“
“Itwillbeawonderfulopportunityforher，“declaredMrs。Wyethemphatically。
“Whatdoyouthinkofit，CaptainGould？“askedMissPease。
Shadrachdrewalongbreath。“I——Idon’tknowhardlywhattosay，ma’am，“heanswered。“Ican’thardlyrealizeityet，seemsso。Itsartinlywouldbeawonderfulchanceforherandit’ssomethin’meandZoethcouldnevergiveherorthinkofgivin’。But——but——“
“Ofcourse，“saidMissPease，ashehesitated，“ifsheisneededverymuchathome——ifyoufeelyoucannotspareher——“
“’Tain’tthat，ma’am，“interruptedtheCaptainquickly。“LandknowsZoethandmewouldmissherawful，butwewouldn’tletthatstandintheway——notofanythinglikethis。But——but——well，toberightdownhonest，ma’am，Idon’tknow’swe’dfeellikehavin’somebodyelsedosomuchforher。Courseweain’twelloff，ZoethandI
ain’t，butweain’trightdownpoor，either。We’vebeenusedtodoin’forourselvesand——“
AndthenMissPeasehadaninspiration。
“Oh，dearme！“shebrokeinhastily。“Idohopeyouhaven’tmadeamistake，CaptainGould。Ihopeyoudon’tthinkIamofferingthisasacharityorpurelyasafavortoMary。No，indeed！Iamaskingitasafavortomyself。Imusthaveacompanion，otherwiseI
cannotgo。AndMaryisjustthecompanionIneed。IamveryfondofherandIthinkshelikesme。Iamnotgoingtourgetoomuch，CaptainGould，butIdohopeyouwillconsiderthematterwithMr。
Hamiltonandletmehearfromyousoon。AndIamhopingyouwillconsent。IpromisetotakegoodcareofyourgirlandbringherbacksafeandsoundinSeptember。AndIshallnotsayonewordofmygreatplantoheruntilyouwritemethatImay。“
SoCaptainShadrach，thetroubledexpressionstillonhisface，returnedontheafternoontraintoSouthHarnisstotellhisfriendandpartnerofMissPease’splan。Mary，whoaccompaniedhimtotheBostonstation，wonderedwhyheseemedsopreoccupiedandquiet。Ifshehadknownwhathisthoughtswereshewouldhavewonderednolonger。
MissPeaseplannedtotravelthroughEuropeduringthesummermonths，andshehadaskedtheCaptain’spermissiontotakeMarywithherasherguestandfriendandcompanion。
CHAPTERXV
Iftimeandspacedidnotmatter，andifevenmoreimportanthappeningsinMary-’Gusta’slifewerenotascloseathandtoclaimattention，itwouldbeinterestingtodescribeatlengththoseofthatspringandthesummerwhichfollowedit。Summarizedinchronologicalorder，theywerethese：First，thelengthydiscussionsbetweenthepartnersconcerningMissPease’splan，discussionswhichendedbyZoeth，asseniorpartner，writingMissPease：
ShadrachandIsayyes。Weoughttohavesaiditaforebutfleshisweakandwefounditkindofhardtomakeupourmindstospareourgirlallsummer。Butweknowweoughttospareherandthatitwillbeasplendidchanceforher。Sowesaysheshallgoandwethankyoumorethanwecansay。ShewillneedclothesandfixingstotakewithherandShadrachandIwishtoaskifyouwillbekindenoughtohelpherpickoutwhatsheneeds。MaybeMrs。Wyethwillhelptoo。Itwillbeagreatfavorifyoutwowilldothis，ShadrachandInotbeingmuchgoodatsuchthings。Wewillsendthemoneyandwillpayforall。
ThencamethebreakingofthenewstoMaryherself。Atfirst，aftershecouldbemadetobelievethewholeideaaperfectlyseriousoneandrealizedthatatriptoEurope——herdearestday-dream，evenwhenalittlegirl，andthefavoriteplaywiththedollsintheatticatSouthHarniss——whensheatlastrealizedtheopportunitythatwashers，eventhenshehesitatedtoacceptit。Therewereheruncles——
theyneededhersomuchinthestore——theywouldmisshersodreadfully。Shecouldnotgoandleavethem。TheunitedeffortsofMissPeaseandMrs。Wyethcouldnotalterherdeterminationtoremainathome；onlyajointdeclaration，amountingtoacommandandsignedbybothpartnersofHamiltonandCompany，hadthateffect。
Sheconsentedthen，butwithreluctance。
ThesteamersailedfromBoston——MissPease’scivicloyaltyforbadehertravelingonaNewYorkboat——onthethirtiethofJune，theweekafterCommencement。MaryandMrs。WyethattendedtheCommencementexercisesandfestivitiesasCrawford’sguest。EdwinSmith，Crawford’sfather，didnotcomeonfromCarsonCitytoseehissonreceivehisparchmentfromhisAlmaMater。Hehadplannedtocome——
Crawfordhadbeguntobelievehemightcome——butatthelastmomentillnesshadprevented。Itwasnothingserious，hewrote；hewouldbewellandheartywhentheboycameWestaftergraduating。
Godblessyou，son[theletterended]。Ifyouknewwhatitmeansforyourolddadtostayawayyou’dforgivehimforbeinginthedoctor’scare。Comehomequickwhenit’sover。There’safour-
poundtroutwaitingforoneofusupinthelakecountrysomewhere。
It’suptoyouormetogethim。
CrawfordshowedthelettertoMary。Hewasdisappointed，butnotsomuchsoasthegirlexpected。
“Ineverreallydaredtocountonhiscoming，“heexplained。“Ithasbeenthiswaysomanytimes。WheneverDadhasplannedtocomeEastsomethinghappenstoprevent。Nowithashappenedagain；Iwasalmostsureitwould。It’sashame！Iwantedyoutomeethim。AndIwantedhimtomeetyou，too，“headded。