a lie so far. And I doubt if she's lyin' now. Now, Mary-'Gusta, is
there any way you can prove you was in that parlor, and--what's his
name--David was there at the time you say? Is there?"

Again Mary-'Gusta hesitated. Her eyes wandered about the faces in the
room, until their gaze rested upon the face of Jimmie Bacheldor. And
Jimmie looked white and scared.

"N-no, sir, I--I guess not," she faltered.

"I guess not, too," declared Con, with a sarcastic laugh.

But the Captain was suspicious. He had seen the child's look.

"Hold on," he commanded. "There's more to this than a blind man could
see through a board fence. Mary-'Gusta, was there anybody else except
David in that parlor along with you? Was there?"

Mary-'Gusta looked at the floor.

"Yes, sir," she faltered.

"So? I kind of had an idea there might be. Who was it?"

Again the look and then: "I--I ain't goin' to tell."

Con laughed once more. "You bet she ain't," he exclaimed. "She can't.
The whole yarn's a lie. Don't pay no attention to it, Pop."

Shadrach turned sharply in his direction. "I'M payin' attention to it,"