it's goin' for her and I hope the Lord'll forgive me. And what you say's
true, she mustn't know we're worried. She's so conscientious she might
be for givin' up her schoolin' and comin' down here to help us. She'd be
just as liable to do it as not."

"You're right, she would. Good thing she thinks she's got money of her
own and that that money is payin' her schoolin' bills. She'd be frettin'
all the time about the expense if 'twa'n't for that. You and I must
pretend everything's lovely and the goose hangin' high when she's
around. And we mustn't let Isaiah drop any hints."

"No. Isaiah has asked me two or three times lately if the new stores
was hurtin' our trade. I shouldn't wonder if he had some suspicions down
inside him."

"Umph! Well, that's all right, so long as they stay inside. If I see
signs of one of those suspicions risin' above his Adam's apple I'll
choke 'em down again. I'll put a flea in Isaiah's ear, and I'll put
mucilage on its feet so's 'twill stick there."

So although Mary did notice that the two new shops in the village seemed
to be prospering and that business at Hamilton and Company's was
not rushing even for September, the answers to her questions were so
reassuring that her uneasiness was driven away. Her Uncle Zoeth evaded
direct reply and Captain Shadrach prevaricated whole-heartedly and
cheerfully. Even Isaiah declared that "everything and all hands was
doin' fine." But Mary made him promise that should it ever be otherwise
than fine he would write her immediately. He gave the promise with some
reluctance.