“You——youdon’tmeanthat，Judge？“gaspedZoeth。
　　“Poor？Marcelluspoor？“criedShadrach。“Why——why，whatkindoftalk’sthat？Hedidn’thavenomorethantherestofuswhen——“hehesitated，glancedatZoeth，andcontinued，“whenthefirmgiveupbusinessbackin’79；buthewenttoseaagainandmadeconsiderable，andthenhemadeawholelotinstocks。Iknowhedid。Youknowit，too，Zoeth。Howcouldhebepoor？“
　　“Because，likesomanyotherfortunatespeculators，hecontinuedtospeculateandbecameunfortunate。Helostthebulkofhiswinningsinthestockmarketand——well，tobequitefrank，CaptainHallhasbeenabrokenman，mentallyaswellasphysically，sincehiswife’sdeathandhisownseriousillness。You，yourselves，musthavenoticedthechangeinhishabits。Frombeinganactiveman，amanofaffairs，hebecamealmostahermit。Hesawbutfewpeople，droppedthesocietyofallhisoldfriends，andlivedalone——aloneexceptforhisvarioushousekeepersandMary-’Gusta——thelittlegirl，Imean。Youmusthavenoticedthechangeinhisrelationswithyou。“
　　Mr。Hamiltonsighed。“Yes，“hesaid，“wenoticedhenevercametoseeusand——and——“
　　“Andwasn’tover’nabovesociablewhenwecometoseehim，“finishedCaptainShadrach。“Yes，wenoticedthat。ButIsay，Judge，hemusthavehadSOMEmoneyleft。Whatbecameofit？“
　　“Goodnessknows！Hewasachild，sofarasmoneymatterswent，inhislateryears。Verylikelyhefrittereditawayinmorestockventures；Iknowheboughtalotofgoodfornothingminingshares。
　　Atanyrateithasgone，allexceptafewthousands。Thehouseandlandwherehelivedismortgageduptothehandle，andIimaginetherearedebts，agoodmanyofthem。ButwhateverthereisislefttoMary-’Gusta——everyonecallsherthatandIseemtohavecaughtthehabit。Itislefttoher——intrust。“
　　CaptainShadrachthoughtthisover。“Intrustwithyou，Ipresumelikely，“heobserved。“Well，asIsaidafore，hecouldn’thavefoundabetterman。“
　　“HEthoughthecould，twobettermen。Iratherthinkhewasright。
　　Youarethetwo，gentlemen。“
　　ThisstatementdidnothavetheeffectwhichtheJudgeexpected。Heexpectedexclamationsandprotests。Insteadhisvisitorslookedateachotherandathiminapuzzledfashion。
　　“Er——er——whatwasthat？“queriedMr。Hamilton。“Ididn’texactlyseemtocatchthat，somehowor’nother。“
　　JudgeBaxterturnedtotheCaptain。
　　“Youunderstoodme，didn’tyou，CaptainGould？“heasked。
　　Shadrachshookhishead。
　　“Why——why，no，“hestammered；“itdidn’tseemtosoakin，somehow。
　　Cal’latemyheadmusthavestoppedgoin’；maybetheshockIhadaspellagobrokethemainspring。AllIseemtoberealsartinofjustnowisthattheCampbellsarecomin’。Whatwasityousaid？“
　　“IsaidthatCaptainMarcellusHallhasleftwhateverpropertyheowned，afterhiscreditorsaresatisfied，tohisstepdaughter。Hehasleftitintrustuntilshebecomesofage。Andheasksyoutwotoacceptthattrustandthecareofthechild。Isthatplain？“
　　Itwasplainandtheyunderstood。Butwithunderstandingcame，apparently，aspeciesofparalysisofthevocalorgans。Zoethturnedpaleandleanedbackinhischair。Shadrach’smouthopenedandclosedseveraltimes，buthesaidnothing。
　　“Ofcourse，“wentonBaxter，“beforeIsayanymoreIthinkyoushouldbetoldthis：ItwasCaptainHall’swishthatyoujointlyaccepttheguardianshipofMary’-Gusta——ofthegirl——thatshelivewithyouandthatyouusewhatevermoneycomestoherfromherstepfather’sestateineducatingandclothingher。Also，ofcourse，thatacertainsumeachweekbepaidyoufromthatestateasherboard。ThatwasMarcellus’swish；butitisawish，nothingmore。
　　Itisnotbindinguponyouinanyway。Youhaveaperfectrighttodeclineand——“
　　CaptainShadrachinterrupted。
　　“Heaveto！“heordered，breathlessly。“Comeupintothewindaminute，formercysakes！DoyoumeantosaythatmeandZoethareaskedtotakethatyoung-onehomewithus，andtakecareofher，anddressher，and——andeather，andbringherupand——and——“
　　Hepaused，incoherentinhisexcitement。TheJudgenodded。
　　“Yes，“hereplied，“thatiswhatheasksyoutodo。But，asIsay，youarenotobligedtodoit；thereisnolegalobligation。Youcansayno，ifyouthinkitbest。“
　　“Ifwethink——forthundersakes，Baxter，whatwasthematterwithMarcellus？Washeoutofhishead？Washeloony？“
　　“No，hewasperfectlysane。“
　　“Then——then，what——Zoeth，“turningwildlytoMr。Hamilton，whostillsat，paleandspeechless，inhischair；“Zoeth，“hedemanded，“didyoueverhearsuchcrazinessinyourlife？DidyoueverHEARsuchstuff？“
　　Zoethmerelyshookhishead。Hissilenceappearedtoaddtohisfriend’sexcitement。
　　“Didyou？“heroared。
　　Zoethmutteredsomethingtotheeffectthathedidn’tknowasheeverdid。
　　“Youdon’tknow！Yes，youdoknow，too。Speakup，whydon’tyou？
　　Don’tsittherelikeaship’sfiggerhead，starin’atnothin’。Youknowit’scrazinessaswell’sIdo。ForGodsakes，saysomethin’！
　　TALK！“
　　Mr。Hamiltontalked——tothisextent：
　　“Hush，Shadrach，“hefaltered。“Don’tbeprofane。“
　　“Profane！Pup-pup-profane！Yousetthereand——and——Oh，jumpin’，creepin’Judas！I——I——“Language——evenhislanguage——failedtoexpresshisfeelingsandhewavedhisfistsandsputtered。Baxterseizedtheopportunity。
　　“Beforeyoumakeyourdecision，gentlemen，“hesaid，“Ihopeyouwillconsiderthesituationcarefully。Thegirlisonlysevenyearsold；shehasnorelationsanywhere，sofarasweknow。Ifyoudeclinethetrustaguardianwillhavetobeappointedbythecourts，Isuppose。Whothatguardianwillbe，orwhatwillbecomeofthepoorchildI’msureIdon’tknow。AndCaptainMarcelluswasperfectlysane；heknewwhathewasdoing。“
　　Shadrachinterrupted。
　　“Hedid！“heshouted。“Well，then，Imustsay——“
　　“Justaminute，please，Ihavealetterherewhichhewroteatthetimehemadehiswill。Itisaddressedtobothofyou。Hereitis。
　　ShallIreadittoyou，orhadyouratherreadityourselves？“
　　Zoethanswered。“Iguessmaybeyou’dbetterreadit，Judge，“hesaid。“Idon’tcal’lateShadrachnormearecapableofreadin’muchofanythingjustthisminute。Youreadit。Shadrach，youbestillnowandlisten。“
　　TheCaptainopenedhismouthandraisedahand。“Bestill，Shadrach，“repeatedZoeth。Thehandfell。CaptainGouldsighed。
　　“Allright，Zoeth，“hesaid。“I’llkeepmybatchclosedlong’sI
　　can。Heaveahead，Judge。“
　　Theletterwasalongone，coveringseveralsheetsoffoolscap。Itbegan：
　　ToShadrach，GouldandZoethHamilton，myoldpartnersandfriends。
　　DEARSHADANDZOETH：
　　IamwritingthistoyoubecauseIhaveknownyouprettymuchallmylifeandyouaretheonlyrealfriendsIhavegotinthisworld。
　　“Iwashisfriend，orItriedtobe，“commentedBaxter，interruptinghisreading；“butheconsideredyoutwo，andalwaysspokeofyou，ashisoldestandnearestfriends。Hehasoftentoldmethatheknewhecoulddependonyou。Nowlisten。“
　　Theletterwentontostatethatthewriterrealizedhishealthwasnolongergood，thathewaslikelytodieatanytimeandwasquitereconciled。
　　Ishouldbegladtogo[CaptainHallhadwritten]，ifitwasnotforonething。SincemywifewastookfrommeIcarepreciouslittleforlifeandthesooneritendsthebetter。ThatisthewayIlookatit。ButIhaveastepdaughter，MaryAugustaLathrop，andforhersakeImuststicktotheshipaslongasIcan。Ihavenotbeentherightkindoffathertoher。Ihavetried，butIdon’tseemtoknowhowandIguesslikelyIwastoooldtolearn。WhenIgoshewon’thavearelationtolookoutforher。ThathastroubledmealotandIhavethoughtaboutitmorethanalittle，Icantellyou。AndsoIhavedecidedtoleaveherinyourcare。Iamhopingyouwilltakechargeofherandbringheruptobeagoodgirlandagoodwoman，sameashermotherwasbeforeher。Iknowyoutwowillbejusttheonesforthejob。
　　“Jumpin’fire！“brokeinShadrach，theirrepressible。
　　“Hush，Shadrach，“continuedMr。Hamilton。“Goon，Judge。“
　　Baxtercontinuedhisreading。Thelettertoldofthewill，oftheproperty，whateveritmightbe，leftintrustforthechild，andofthewriter’sdesirethatitmightbeused，whenturnedintomoney，forhereducation。Thereweretwopagesoframblingreferencestostocksandinvestments，theveryvaguenessofthesereferencesprovingtheweakeningshrewdnessandlackofbusinessacumenofCaptainHallinhislateryears。Thencamethis：
　　WhenthisfirstcomestoyouIknowyouwillbothfeelyouarenotfittedtotakechargeofmygirl。Youwillsaythatneitherofyouhashadanychildrenofhisownandyouhavenotgotexperienceinthatline。ButIhavethoughtitoverandIknowIamright。I