Shadrach chuckled. "You bet it don't!" he agreed. "It's got a life
sentence. And, so fur as that goes, they generally open a Mason lodge
meetin' with prayer, but 'twould take more'n that to open Jerry's
pocketbook, I'LL bet you!"

"And, nevertheless," declared Mary, laughing, "I mean to make him pay
our bill."

She did make the tight-fisted one pay up eventually, but months were to
elapse before that desirable consummation was reached. In the meantime
she set herself to collecting other amounts owed Hamilton and Company
and to building up the trade at the store. The collecting was not so
difficult as she had expected. The Captain and Mr. Hamilton had been
reluctant to ask their friends and neighbors to be prompt in their
payments, and largely through carelessness accounts had been permitted
to drop behind. Mary personally saw the debtors and in most cases, by
offering slight discounts or by accepting installments, she was able
to obtain at least the greater part of the money due. In some cases she
could obtain nothing and expected nothing, but these cases, among them
that of 'Rastus Young, were rather to be considered in the light of good
riddance even at the price. As Shadrach said, it was worth a few dollars
not to have to listen to 'Rastus or Mrs. 'Rastus cry over their troubles
whenever they wanted to hold up the firm for more plunder.

"Last time 'Rastus was in to buy anything," declared the Captain, "he
shed so blamed many tears into my rubber boots that I got wet feet and
sent the boots to the cobbler's to have 'em plugged. I cal'lated they
leaked; I didn't realize 'twas Rat workin' me out of four dollars worth
of groceries by water power."