"Well, she's a--she's what she is. What else did she say to you?"

"She--she said I was a bad, wicked child and she hoped I'd be sent to
the--the orphans' home. If she was to have the care of me, she said,
she'd make me walk a chalk or know why. And she sent me to my room and
said I couldn't have any supper."

Zoeth and the Captain looked at each other. Baxter frowned.

"On the very day of her father's funeral," he muttered.

"Can't I have any supper?" begged Mary-'Gusta. "I'm awful hungry; I
didn't want much dinner."

Zoeth nodded. His tone, when he spoke, was not so mild as was usual with
him.

"You shall have your supper," he said.

"And--and must I go to the orphans' home?"

No one answered at once. Zoeth and Captain Shad again looked at each
other and the Judge looked at them both.

"Must I?" repeated Mary-'Gusta. "I--I don't want to. I'd rather die, I
guess, and go to Heaven, same as Mother and Father. But Mrs. Hobbs says
they don't have any dolls nor cats in Heaven, so I don't know's I'd want
to go there."

Baxter walked to the window and looked out. Captain Shadrach reached