astern of the counter and readin' the Advocate. I told you when you
hired her that she wasn't good for nothin' but ballast."

"I know, Shadrach. I'd ought to have stayed to home and kept store
myself. But I did feel as if I must go to Marcellus's funeral."

"Sellin' them Youngs a whole passel of stuff and lettin' 'em charge it
up!" went on Shadrach. "They owe us enough now to keep a decent family
all winter. Reg'lar town dead-beats, that's what they are. You couldn't
get a cent out of Rastus Young if you were to run a dredge through him."

Mr. Hamilton groaned remorsefully. "If I'd only stayed at home!" he
said.

"If you'd stayed to home you'd have charged up the stuff just the same
as she did. You're the softest thing, outside of a sponge, in this town.
Anybody can impose on you, and you know it, Zoeth."

Zoeth's habitual mildness gave way to resentment, mild resentment.

"Why, Shadrach," he retorted, "how you talk! You was the one that
charged up the last things Rastus's folks bought. You know you was."

The Captain looked as if he had been caught napping.

"Well, what's that got to do with it?" he sputtered. "'Twasn't nothin'
but some corn meal and a few yards of calico. How could I help chargin'
it up, with that woman cryin' and goin' on about their havin' nothin'
to eat nor wear in the house? I couldn't let 'em starve, could I? Nor
freeze neither?"