by it?"

Zoeth sat, without a word. Shadrach, however, made a feeble attempt to
bluster.

"What do WE mean by it?" he repeated. "What do YOU mean, you mean!
Perusin' up here in the middle of the night without a word to your Uncle
Zoeth and me, and--and haulin' open that safe--and--"

Again Mary interrupted.

"Be still, Uncle Shad!" she commanded. "Sit down! Sit down on that box
and listen to me! That's right. Now tell me! Why have you been telling
me fibs for almost a year? Answer me! Why have you?"

Zoeth looked at Shadrach and the latter looked at him.

"Fibs?" stammered Mr. Hamilton. "Fibs? Why--why, Mary-'Gusta!"

"Yes, fibs. I might use a stronger word and not exaggerate very much.
You have led me to think that business was good, that you were doing as
well or better than when I was here with you. I asked you over and over
again and you invariably gave me that answer. And now I know that during
all that time you have scarcely been able to make ends meet, that you
have been worrying yourselves sick, that you--"

Captain Shad could stand it no longer.

"We ain't, neither!" he declared. "I never was better in my life. I
ain't had a doctor for more'n a year. And then I only had him for the