"Hold on! Heave to, Ab. Mary-'Gusta, how do you know 'twasn't our cat?"

"'Cause--'cause David was with me from four o'clock till most five;
that's how. He was in the--in our house with me. So," triumphantly, "he
couldn't have been anywhere else, could he?"

Con and his father both began a protest, but Shadrach cut it short.

"Keep still, for mercy sakes," he ordered. "This ain't Shoutin'
Methodist camp meetin'. Let's get soundin's here. Now, Mary-'Gusta, you
say the cat was with you from four till five; you're sure of that?"

"Yes, sir. I know because Mr. Chase had gone out and we knew he wouldn't
be back until five 'cause he said he wouldn't. So we looked at the clock
before we went in."

"Went in? Went in where?"

The girl hung her head. It was evident that the answer to this question
was one she dreaded to make. But she made it, nevertheless.

"Before we went into--into the parlor," she said, faintly.

Captain Shad was the only one of her hearers who grasped the full
significance of this confession. No, there was one other, and he turned
red and then white.

"The parlor?" repeated the Captain, slowly. "The best parlor?"

"Ye-yes, sir."