“fortydrawlsandtenstutterstoeveryorange，“quotingCaptainShadagain。
“Itoldyouyoumustn’tgethimstarted，“wentonMissKeith，gushingly。“He’lltalkforeverifhehasachance。Butyouwoulddoit。Askinghimifhekeptpomegranatesandbread-fruit！Theidea！I’msurehedoesn’tknowwhatapomegranateis。YouwereSO
solemnandhewasSOridiculous！IthoughtIshouldDIE。Youreallyarethedrollestperson，CrawfordSmith！Idon’tknowwhatI
shalldowithyou。“
ItwasevidentthatheropinionofyoungSmithwasnotdifferentfromthatofotheryoungladiesofherage。AlsothatCrawfordhimselfwasnotentirelyunconsciousofthatopinion。Ateighteen，tobesetuponapedestalandworshiped，tohaveone’sfeeblestjokehailedasamasterpieceofwit，isdangerousfortheidol；theeffortofsustainingtheelevatedpositionentailstheriskofafall。Crawfordwasbuteighteenandagoodfellow，buthehadbeenworshipedagooddeal。Hewasquiteassensibleasotheryoungchapsofhisage，whichstatementmeansexactlythatandnomore。
“Well，“hesaid，withacomplacentgrin，“welearnedhowtopronounce’pomegranate’atanyrate。Youbeginwithapup-pup-pup，asifyouwerecallingadog，andyoufinishwithagruntlikeapig。IwishIhadaskedhimforapersimmon；thenhe’dhavemadeanoiselikeacat。“
MissKeith，whensherecoveredfromherspasmofmerriment，declaredhercompanion“perfectlykilling。“
“Butwemusthurry，“shesaid。“WereallymustCrawford，youbuythethings。Ishouldthinkofthatfruitmanandlaughallthetime，IknowIshould。“
Sheremainedbythedoorandtheyounggentlemanstrolledtothecounter。Hecastanamusedglanceaboutthestore；itsdisplayofstockwas，thankstoMary-’Gusta’srecenteffortsattidiness，notquitetheconglomeratemassithadbeenwhenthepartnersweresolelyresponsible，butthevarietywasstillstrikinglyobvious。
“Humph！“observedCrawford；“I’veforgottenwhatwecametobuy，butI’msureitishere，whateveritis。Someemporium，this！
Introducemetotheproprietor，willyou，Edna？“
Ednagiggled。
“Sheisn’ttheproprietor，“shesaid。“Sheisjusttheclerk，that’sall。Hernameis——I’veforgottenyourname，dear。Whatisit？“
“MaryLathrop，“repliedMary-’Gusta，shortly。Sheobjectedtobeingaddressedas“dear“andshestronglyobjectedtothepatronizingtoneinwhichitwasuttered。EdnaKeithwasolderthanshe，butnotoldenoughtopatronize。
“Oh，yes，soitis，“saidtheyounglady。“Butthatisn’twhateveryonecallsyou。Theycallyousomethingelse——somethingfunny——
Oh，Iknow！Mary-’Gusta，that’sit。Iknewitwasfunny。Mary-
’Gusta，thisisMr。Smith。Hewantstobuysomethings。Andhe’sinaGREAThurry。“
“Charmed，Mary-’Gusta，“saidMr。Smith。Mary’-Gustadidnotappearcharmed。Sheaskedhimwhathewanted。
“SearchME，“saidtheyounggentleman，cheerfully。“Therewasalist，wasn’tthere，Edna？Youhaveit，Ithink。“
Ednaproducedthelist，scrawledinpencilonthebackofanenvelope。Crawfordlookeditover。
“Sam’swritingisn’texactlyprint，“heobserved，“butIcanguessatit。Let’ssee——apoundofbutter。Where’sthebutterdepartmentofthisBonMarche，Edna？“
Edna，afteranotherconvulsion，declaredshedidn’tknow。
“NodoubtMiss——er——MaryJaneknows，“wentonhercompanion。“Why，yes，ofcourseshedoes。Rightthere，behindtheoilskinjacket。
Removejacket，opendoor——behold，theiceboxandthebutter。Neat，compact，andconvenient。Onepoundonly，ElizabethEliza。Thankyou。“
“Hernameisn’tElizabethEliza，“giggledMissKeith。“Isn’theawful，Mary-’Gusta！Youmustn’tmindhim。“
“Idon’t，“saidMary-’Gusta，promptly。“Whatelsedoyouwant？“
Crawfordconsultedthelist。“Thenextitem，“hesaid，“appearstobea——er——certainkindofham。Iblushtomentionit，butImust。
Itisdeviledham。Haveyouthatkindofham，Mary-’Gusta？“
Mary-’Gustatookthecanofdeviledhamfromtheshelf。Crawfordshookhishead。
“Tothinkthatonesoyoungshouldbesofamiliarwithhamofthatkind！“hesaid。“Shedidn’tspeakitsname，though。SupposeIhadaskedyouwhatkindofhamyouhad，Miss——er——’Gustahowwouldyouhavegotaroundit？“
Mary-’Gustadidnotanswer。Shewasveryangry，butshewasdeterminedthathertormentorshouldnotknowit。
“Ayoungladyoffewwords，“commentedMr。Smith。“Nextitemappearstobesixboxesofmarshmallows。Whereisthemarshmallowdepartment，MaryJane？“
Mary-’Gustahesitated。Thetinboxesofmarshmallowswereontheshelfbehindthecounterunderthecandycase。Buttherewasafreshassortmentinanunopenedpackingboxinthebackroom，aboxwhichhadjustcomefromthewholesaleconfectioner’sinBoston。
HerUncleZoethhadexpressedafearthatthosebeneaththecounterwereratherstale。
MissKeithfidgeted。“Oh，dear！“sheexclaimed。“ThisisSOslow。
IknowSamandtherestwon’twaitforusattheclam-man’smuchlonger。“
Hercompanionwhistled。“Istheword’hurry’intheSouthHarnissdictionary，Edna？“heinquired。“Howaboutit，MaryJane？“
Mary-’Gustawasdeterminednottohurry。Thissuperioryoungmanwishedhertodosoandthatwasreasonsufficientfordelay。
YoungSmithsighedresignedly。“Edna，“hesaid，“supposewesitdown。ThewordisNOTinthedictionary。“
Therewasbutonechair，exceptthosebehindthecounters，inthestore。MissKeithtookthatwithanexclamationofimpatience。
CrawfordSmith，whistlingamournfuldirge，saunteredtotheendofthecounterandsatdownuponanailkeg。
Mary-’Gustaalsoutteredanexclamation。Itiswelltolookbeforeoneleaps，also，occasionally，beforeonesits。Thatkeghad，spreadacrossitstop，asheetofthefreshandverystickyflypaper。Beforeshecouldhaveprotested，evenifshehadwishedtodoso，theyounggentleman’sspotlesswhiteflannelsandtheflypapercameincontact，closeandclingingcontact。
Mary-’Gustaputahandtohermouth。Crawfordlookedather，caughtthedirectionofherlook，andlookedinthatdirectionhimself。
Hiswhistlestoppedinthemiddleofanoteandhisfaceimmediatelybecameamatchforhissocksandtie，abeautifulrichcrimson，thechosencolorofhisUniversity。
MissKeith，fromherseatbythedoor，couldnotseebeyondtheendofthecounter。Consequentlyshewasunawareofthemishaptothewhiteflannels。ButMary-’Gustasawandknew；alsoshecouldseethatMr。Smithknew。
“Oh，dear！“exclaimedEdna，impatiently。“Wearedreadfullylatenow。We’llnevergetthereontime。Samwon’twaitforus；Iknowhewon’t。Wherearethosemarshmallows？Can’tyoupleasehurry，Mary’-Gusta？“
Mary-’Gusta’seyesweresparkling。Hermannerwasprovokinglydeliberate。Shetookaboxofmarshmallowsfrombeneaththecounter。
“Therearesomehere，“shesaid，“butI’mafraidtheyaren’tveryfresh。Thefreshones，thosethathavejustcome，areinaboxinthebackroom。Thatboxhasn’tbeenopenedyet。IfyoucanwaitI’llopenitforyou。“
YoungSmithsaidnothing。MissKeith，however，spokehermind。
“Ofcoursewecan’twait，“shedeclared。“I’msurethesewilldo。
Theywilldo，won’tthey，Crawford？“
AndstillCrawfordremainedsilent。Mary-’Gusta，whowasenjoyingthisportionoftheinterviewasmuchasshehaddislikeditsbeginning，offeredasuggestion。
“Ifyouwilljustcomehereandlookatthese，“shesaid，withmischievousgravity，addressingtheyounggentlemanonthenailkeg，“perhapsyoucantellwhetherthey’refreshenough。“
Theyounggentlemandidnotrise。Hisfaceretaineditsbrilliantcolorandhislipsmoved，buthisanswerwasnotaudible。Athisagethedreadofappearingridiculous，especiallyinthepresenceofayouthfulandcharmingfemale，isaboveallothershateful。AndEdnaKeithwasnottheonlygirlinthepicnicparty；therewereothers。Shewouldbecertaintotellthem。CrawfordSmithforesawahorribleday，adayofdisgraceandhumiliation，oneinwhichhewasdestinedtofurnishamusementwithoutsharingthefun。AndSamKeith，whohadremarkeduponthesplendorofhisfriend’sattire，wouldgloat——notonlyhereinSouthHarniss，butelsewhere——inCambridge，forinstance。Anoldermanwouldhaverisen，laughedwhetherhefeltlikelaughingornot——andhaveexpressedhisopinionofflypaper。Crawfordwasnotyetaman；hewasinthetransitionstage，aboyfondlyhopingthatotherpeoplemightthinkhimaman。
Sohesatstilluntilitwastoolatetorise，andthenwishedhehadriseninthefirstplace。
“Mygoodness！“exclaimedthefidgetyMissKeith，“whydon’tyoulookatthem，Crawford？Whatareyouwaitingfor？“