Onthewayhome，aftertheservice，itwasSamKeithwhoescortedMary，whileMrs。WyethwalkedwithMr。Smith。Sam’sconversationwasnotburdenedwithseriousness。Hockey，dances，andgoodtimeswerethesubjectshedealtwith。Washiscompanionfondofdancing？
Wouldsheaccompanyhimtooneoftheclubdancessometime？Theyweregreatfun。Mrs。Wyethcouldchaperonthem，ofcourse。
Marysaidshewasafraidshewouldbetoobusytoaccept。Asamatteroffact，knowingwhatshedidofhismother’sfeelings，shewouldhaveacceptednoinvitationsfromSamKeithevenifnothingelsepreventedherdoingso。
“Mystudiestakeagooddealofmytime，“shesaid。
Samlaughed。“You’llgetoverthat，“hedeclared。“Istudiedlikeblueblazesmyfreshmanyear，butafterthat——Ishouldworry。Say，I’mmightygladIcameoverheretoday。I’mcomingagain。I’llbearegularboarder。“
Theyoungmensaidgood-byattheWyethdoor。Mrs。Wyethdidnotaskthemin，althoughthepersistentSamuelthrewoutsomepointedhints。
CrawfordSmithandMaryshookhands。
“I’vehadanawfullygoodtime，“declaredtheformer。Then，turningtoMrs。Wyeth，heasked：“MayIcalloccasionally？“
Mrs。Wyeth’sanswerwas，asusual，frankandunmistakable。
“Yes，“shesaid。“Ishallbeverygladtoseeyou——occasionally。“
CrawfordturnedtoMary。
“MayI？“heasked。
Maryscarcelyknewhowtoreply。Therewasnorealreasonwhyheshouldnotcall；shelikedhimsofar。Hisfranknessandearnestnessofpurposeappealedtoher。Andyetshewasnotatallsurethatitwaswisetocontinuetheacquaintance。InhermindthiscomingtoBostontoschoolwasaveryseriousmatter。Heruncleshadsenthertheretostudy；theyneededherathome，butthatneedtheyhadsacrificedinorderthatshemightstudyandimprove。Nothingelse，friendshipsorgoodtimesoranything，mustinterferewiththepurposewithwhichshehadacceptedthesacrifice。
Soshehesitated。
“MayI？“repeatedCrawford。
“Why，Idon’tknow。IimagineIshallbeverybusymostofthetime。“
“That’sallright。Ifyou’rebusyyoucansendwordformetovamoose。Thatwillbepartofthebargain。Good-by。“
Mrs。Wyeth’sfirstremark，afterentering，wasconcerningSam’sfriend。
“Iratherlikethatyoungperson，“shesaid。“Samuelidolizeshim，ofcourse，butSamuelwouldworshipahyenaifitplayedfootball。
ButthisSmithboy“——inMrs。Wyeth’smindanymaleunderthirtywasaboy——“seemstohavesomecommonsenseandamindofhisown。I
don’tapproveofhisnamenorthehowlingwildernesshecomesfrom，buthecan’thelpthosedrawbacks，Isuppose。However，ifheistocallherewemustknowsomethingabouthim。Ishallmakeinquiries。“
CHAPTERXII
TheschooltermendedonaSaturdaymorninginmid-December。Mary’strunkwaspackedandready，andsheanditreachedtheSouthStationlongbeforetraintime。Shewasgoinghome，homefortheholidays，andifshehadbeengoingonatriparoundtheworldshecouldnothavebeenmoredelightedattheprospect。AndherdelightandanticipationsweresharedinSouthHarniss。Heruncles’lettersforthepastfortnighthadcontainedlittleexceptjoyfulannouncementsofpreparationsforhercoming。
Wearecountingtheminutes[wroteZoeth]。ThefirstthingShadrachdoeseverymorningistoscratchanotherdayoffthecalendar。I
neversawhimsoworkedupandexcitedandIcalculateIain’tmuchdifferentmyself。ItrynottosetmyheartonthingsofthisworldmorethanIoughtto，butitdoesseemasifIcouldn’tthinkofmuchelsebutourgirl’scomingbacktous。IamnotgoingtoworrythewayShadrachdoesaboutyourgettingheresafeandsound。TheLord’sbeenmightygoodtousandIamsureHewillfetchyoutoourdoorallright。IamcontentedtotrustyouinHishands。
P。S。Oneorbothofuswillmeetyouatthedepot。
CaptainShad’sepistlewasmoreworldlybutnotmorecoherent。
Besureandtakethetrainthatcomesrightonthrough[hewrote]。
Don’ttaketheonethatgoestoWoodsHole。Zoethissofidgetyandnervousforfearyouwillmakeamistakethathekeepsmeonpinsandneedles。Isaiahain’tmuchbetter。Hesweptoutthesetting-
roomtwicelastweekandifhedon’troastthecatinsteadofthechickenheiscalculatingtokill，itwillbeamercy。IamtheonlyoneaboardtheshipthatkeepshisheadandItellthemnottoworry。Besureyoutakethatthroughtrain。Andlookoutforthemelectriccars，ifyoucometothedepotinone。Bettersettleontheoneyouaregoingtotakeandthentaketheoneaheadofitsoastobesureandnotbelate。Yourtrainleavesthedockatquarter-pastfour。TheWoodsHoleoneistwominutesearlier。Lookoutandnottakethat。Zoethisafraidyouwillmakeamistake，butIlaughathim。Don’ttakethewrongtrain。
Marylaughedwhenshereadtheseletters，buttherewasachokeinthelaugh。InspiteoftheperilsoftravelbytheelectricsandtheNewHavenrailroad，shereachedSouthHarnisssafe，sound，andreasonablyontime。ThefirstpersonshesawontheplatformofthestationwasCaptainShadrach。Hehadbeenpacingthatplatformforatleastfortyminutes。
Hespiedheratthesametimeandcamerushingtogreether，bothhandsoutstretched。
“Andhereyoube！“heexclaimedwithenthusiasm。
Marylaughedhappily。
“Yes，UncleShad，hereIam，“shesaid。“Areyougladtoseeme？“
Shadrachlookedather。
“JUMPIN’！“wastheonlyanswerhemade，butitwasferventandsufficient。
Theyrodehometogetherintheoldbuggy。AstheyreachedthecornerbythestoreMaryexpectedthevehicletobebroughttoahaltatthecurb，butitwasnot。TheCaptainchirrupedtothehorseanddrovestraighton。
“Why，UncleShad！“exclaimedthegirl。“Aren’tyougoingtostop？“
“Eh？Stop？Whatfor？“
“Why，toseeUncleZoeth，ofcourse。He’satthestore，isn’the？“
Shadrachshookhishead。
“No，heain’t，“hesaid。“He’stohome。“
Marywasamazedandatriflealarmed。OnepartnerofHamiltonandCompanywasthereinthebuggywithher。ByalltherulesofprecedentandSouthHarnissbusinesstheothershouldhavebeenatthestore。Sheknewthatheruncleshademployednoclerkorassistantsincesheleft。
“But——butisUncleZoethsick？“sheasked。
“Sick？No，no，courseheain’tsick。Ifhedidn’thavenobettersensethantogetsickthedayyoucomehomeI’d——I’d——Idon’tknow’sIwouldn’tdrownhim。HEain’tsick——unless，“headded，asanafterthought，“he’sgotSaintVitusdancefromhoppin’upanddowntolookoutofthewindow，watchin’forus。“
“Butifheisn’tsick，whyisn’theatthestore？Whoisthere？“
TheCaptainchuckled。
“Notasolitarysoul，“hedeclared。“Thatstore’sshutuptightandit’sgoin’tostaythatwaythiswholeblessedevenin’。Zoethandmewetalkeditover。Ididn’tknowbutwe’dbettergetAbelSnow’sboyorthatpeskyAnnabelorsomebodytostaywhilewewashavin’
supper。Yousee，wewasbothsotoneatin’supperwithyoutonight，nomatterstoreornot，andIsaiah，hewasjustassotaswewas。
ButalltoonceZoethhadanidea。’Shadrach，’hesays，’inScriptur’timeswhenpeoplewasrealhappy，sameaswearenow，theyusedtomakeasacrificetotheAlmightytoshowhowgladandgratefultheywas。Let’syouandmemakeasacrifice；let’ssacrificethisevenin’strade——let’sshutupthestoreonaccountofourgirl’scomin’home。’’Goodidea！’saysI，sowedidit。“
Marylookedathimreproachfully。
“Oh，UncleShad，“shesaid，“youshouldn’thavedonethat。Itwasdearandsweetofyoutothinkofit，butyoushouldn’thavedoneit。Itdidn’tneedanysacrificetoprovethatyouweregladtoseeme。“
Shadrachwinkedoverhisshoulder。
“Don’tletthatsacrificeworryyouany，“heobserved。“ThesacrificeismainlyinZoeth’seye。Fur’sI’mconcerned——well，JabezHedgestoldmeyesterdaythatRastusYoungtoldhimhecal’latedhe’dhavetobedroppin’inatthestoresomeofthesenightstobuysomerubberbootsandnewileskins。Wesoldhimtheoneshe’sgotfouryearsagoandheain’tpaidfor’emyet。No，no，Mary-’Gusta，don’tyouworryaboutthatsacrifice。IcansacrificeRastusYoung’stradeeightdaysintheweekandmakemoneybyit。
CourseIdidn’ttellZoeththat；havetohumorthesepiousfolksmuchaswecan，youknow。“
Marysmiled，butsheshookherhead。“It’snouseyourtalkingtomeinthatway，UncleShad，“shesaid。“Iknowyoutoowell。AndrightintheChristmasseason，too！“