wasyou。Youunderstand？“
　　“Yes，yes，Shadrach，IthinkIunderstand。Youmeanshefeltbadtohavetosay——whatshedidsay——tothatyoungmanandshewouldn’twanttoberemindedofit？“
　　“That’saboutit，Zoeth。“
　　Silenceforsomeminutes。Bothpartnerswereoccupiedwiththeirthoughts。ThenZoethsaid：
　　“Shadrach，I——I——“
　　Hedidnotfinishthesentence。TheCaptainventuredtoremindhim。
　　“Yes，Zoeth，whatisit？“heasked。
　　“Nothin’。I——Ican’ttellyounow。Byandby，ifthegoodLordgivesmestrengthagain，I’ll——Nevermind，now。Don’taskme，please。“
　　SoShadrachdidnotask，buthewaspuzzledandalittleanxious。
　　Whatwasithispartnerhadtotellandfoundthetellingsodifficult？
　　CHAPTERXXVIII
　　Itwasnotuntiladayinmid-SeptemberthatCaptainShadrachlearnedhispartner’ssecret。HeandZoethandMarywereatthestoretogether。Businesswasstillgood，buttherushwasover。
　　ThesummercottageswereclosingandmostoftheCapehotelshadalreadyclosed。TheFor’ardLookouthadtakendownitssignattheendofthepreviousweek。Itsvoyageforthatyearwasover。Ithadbeenaprosperousone。
　　Marywassorrythatthebusyseasonwasatanend。Shewasvery，verytired；shehadallowedherselfnorest，hadtakennoholidays，haddoneherbesttothinkofnothingexceptmattersconnectedwithHamiltonandCompanyorthetea-room。These，fortunately，hadgivenherenoughtothinkof；otherthoughtssheresolutelycrowdedfromhermind。Nowtherewouldbenotea-roomtoplanfor，and，thankstoSimCrockerandthecompetentwayinwhichhehadassumedcareofthestore，shenolongerfelttheabsolutenecessityofremainingtherefromdaylightuntillateintheevening。HerUncleZoethwasalmostwell，also；shewouldnolongerhavehishealthasanadditionalburdenuponhermind。Shewasindangerofbeingforcedtothinkofherself，andthatsheknewshemustnotdo。Thinkingofherselfwouldsurelymeanthinkingofsomeoneelseandofwhatmighthavebeen。Andwhatuseless，hopelessthinkingthatwouldbe！No，no！Shemustfindsomethingelsetokeepherthoughtsoccupied。
　　Soshewasplanningthemakingoverandenlargingofthestorefront，puttinginlargerandbetterwindowsandstrengtheningtheplatform。ShewasdiscussingtheplanwithShadrachandZoethwhenJohnKeithentered。TheKeithswereleavingSouthHarnissratherearlythatyearandtheheadofthefamilyhaddroppedintosaygood-by。Mr。Keith’slikingforMarywasasstrongasever，andforheruncleshehad，bythistime，averyrealregard，afeelingwhichwasreciprocatedbythem。
　　Conversationbeganinthewaythemajorityofconversationsbegin，withadiscussionoftheweather，itsrecentpast，present，andprobablefuture，shiftedtothetea-roomanditssuccessandthentothevisitor’srecenttriptoNewYork，fromwhichcityhehadjustreturned。Itwasnearthenoonhourandtherewerefewcustomerstointerrupt。ThosewhodidcomeweretakencareofbyMr。Crocker。
　　“Anythingnewhappenin’overthere？“inquiredCaptainShadrach，askingnewsofthemetropolisexactlyashewouldhaveaskedconcerningthegossipofHarnissCenter。“Meetanybodyyouknew，didyou？“
　　Keithsmiled。“Why，yes，“hesaid。“ImetthepeopleIwenttosee。Minewasabusinesstrip。Ididn’tmeetanyoneunexpectedly，ifthat’swhatyoumean。“
　　TheCaptainnodded。“Didn’tgetdownonSouthStreet，didyou？“heasked。“No，Ithoughtnot。Ifyouhadyou’dhavemetplenty。WhenIwasgoin’toseaIbetIneverwentcruisin’downSouthStreetinmylifethatIdidn’trunafoulofsomebodyIwan’texpectin’to。
　　Greatestplaceformeetin’folksintheworld，Ical’lateSouthStreetis。Lotsofseafarin’menhavetoldmeso。“
　　Keith’ssmilebroadenedashewashandedthisnuggetofwisdom。
　　Thenhesaid：
　　“Youremindme，Captain，thatIdidmeetsomeone，afterall。InBoston，notinNewYork，andImethimonlyyesterday。Itwassomeoneyouknow，too，andMaryhereusedtoknowhimquitewell，I
　　think——youngCrawfordSmith，Sam’sHarvardfriend。HevisitedushereinSouthHarnissonesummer。“
　　Shadrachwastheonlyoneofthetriooflistenerswhomadeanycommentatallonthisspeech。Evenhedidnotspeakforamoment，glancingapprehensivelyatMarybeforedoingso。Marysaidnothing，andZoeth，leaningbackinhischair，hisfacehiddenfromhispartner’sgazebytheendofthecounter，didnotspeak。
　　“Sho！“exclaimedtheCaptain。“Sho！Soyoumethim，didyou！InBoston？That’sfunny。IhadanideahewasoutWestsomewheres。“
　　“SodidI。ThelastIheardconcerninghimhehadgivenuphisstudiesintheEasthere——hewasstudyingmedicine，asperhapsyouknow——andhadgonebacktohishomeinNevada。Hisfather，whowasnotatallwell，askedhimtodoso。HehadwrittenSamonceortwicefromoutthere。SoIwassurprisedenoughtoseehiminBoston。ImethimintheSouthStationandwechattedforafewmoments。Hetoldmethathisfatherwasdead。“
　　FrombehindtheendofthecounterwhereZoethsatcameanoddsound，asortofgasp。Shadrachleanedforwardquickly。
　　“What’sthematter，Zoeth？“heasked。BeforeZoethcouldanswerMaryspoke：
　　“Dead！“sherepeated。“Mr。Keith，I——did——didyousayCrawfordSmith’sfatherwasDEAD？“
　　HertonewassostrangethatevenMr。Keithcouldnothelpnoticingit。Helookedather，seemedabouttoaskaquestion，andthenansweredhersinstead。
　　“Why，yes，“hesaid；“heisdead。Hehadbeeninpoorhealthforsometime，sohissontoldme，andabouttwoweeksagohedied。
　　Crawforddidnottellmeanyparticulars，nordidhesaywhathadbroughthimEast。Infact，hedidn’tseemanxioustotalk；actedasifhehadsomethingonhismind。OfcourseIsaidIwassorryandhethankedmeandinquiredregardingMrs。KeithandEdnaandSam。
　　ThenIhadtohurryformytrain……Oh，areyougoing，Mary？
　　Well，then，Imustsaygood-byuntilnextsummer；weleavetomorrowmorning。“
　　Maryexplained，ratherhurriedly，thatshemustspeakwithSimeonforafewminutes，saidgood-by，shookhandsandhastenedout。
　　Keithlookedafterher。
　　“IhopeIhaven’tmadeablunder，“hesaid，“inspeakingofyoungSmith。Sheandhewerequite——er——friendlyatonetime，weren’tthey。IunderstoodsofromsomeremarksofSam’s。Didn’tputmyfootinitbymentioningtheboy’sname，didI？Icertainlyhopenot。“
　　Zoethdidnotspeak。Shadrachhastenedtoreassurehim。
　　“No，no！“hesaid。“TherewasonetimewhenevenmeandZoethfiggeredtheremightbe——er——well，wedidn’tknowbutwhatheandshewasliabletobemore’njustfriends。Butit’salloffnow，seemsso。Theydon’tevenwriteeachother，Iguess。Ical’latemaybeMary’-Gustagottiredofhim，“heexplained。“Hewasarealniceyoungfeller，butheprobablywan’tquitegoodenoughforher。
　　Fur’sthatgoes，“headded，withtheemphasisofabsoluteconviction，“Ineverlaideyesononethatwas。“
　　Keithlookedrelieved。“Well，I’mgladifIdidn’tmakeamistake，“
　　hesaid。“SheseemedsostartledwhenIsaidthatthemanwasdeadandhermannerwassoodd。Didn’tyounoticeityourself，Captain？“
　　Shadrachnodded。
　　“Inoticedsheseemedsortofsotallaback，“hesaid，“butIdon’tknow’sthat’ssostrangewhenyouconsiderthatsheandCrawfordusedtobesuchfriends。More’nprobableshe’sheardhimtalkagooddealabouthisfather。“
　　“Well，perhapsso。Nodoubtthatisit。I’mafraidsheisworkingtoohardandworryingtoomuchoverhervariousenterpriseshere。
　　Sheissucceedingwonderfully，ofcourse，butIdon’tliketoseeherlosingthoserosesinhercheeks。They’remuchtooprecioustolose。Keepyoureyeonher，Captain，anddon’tletherwearherselfout。“
　　Hesoonsaidgood-by。CaptainShadrachaccompaniedhimtothedoor。
　　Zoethremainedwherehewas，notrisingevenwhenheshookhandswithhisdepartingfriend。ButwhentheCaptainturnedbackhesawhispartnerstandingbytheendofthecounterandclutchingitwithonehandwhilehebeckonedwiththeother。Shadrachgavehimonelookandthencrossedthespacebetweenthemintwostrides。
　　“Forthelandsakes，Zoeth，“hebegged，“what’sthematter？“
　　Zoethwavedhimtosilence。“Sshh！sshh！“hepleadedinawhisper。
　　“Don’thollerso；she’llhearyou。Shadrach，I——I——“
　　“WhatISit？“brokeinhisfriend。“What’sthematter，Zoeth？
　　ShallIfetchthedoctor？“
　　“No，no。I’m——I’mallright，Shadrach。I’vejusthad——hadakindofshock——asurprise，that’sall。Iain’tverystrongyetandit——
　　itkindofupsetme。But，Shadrach，Iwanttotalktoyou。Iwanttotellyousomethin’rightaway。Ican’tkeepittomyselfanylonger。Can’twegohome——tomyroomorsomewheres——wherewecantalk？Please，Shadrach！“
　　“There，there，shipmate；takeiteasy。Gohome？Coursewecan！
　　Hey，Sim！“shoutingtoMr。Crocker，whowasinthebackroom。“YouandMarycantakecareofthestore，can’tyou？Zoethandmearegoin’homefordinner。“
　　SimeonrepliedthatMarywasnotthere；shehadgoneoutthebackway，downtothehouse，hethought。“Butyougoahead，Cap’nShad，“
　　headded。“Icantakecareofthestoreallright。“
　　Athome，andinMr。Hamilton’sroom，theCaptainpulledforwardthemostcomfortablechair，forcedhispartnertositinit，closedandlockedthedoor，satdownontheedgeofthebed，andsaid：
　　“There！Nowwe’realltautandshipshapeandnobodycangetaboardtointerrupt。Fireaway，Zoeth。Whatisityou’vegottotell？“
　　Zoeth，hishandtrembling，reachedintotheinsidepocketofhiscoat，tookoutanold-fashionedwalletandfromitproducedamuch-
　　crumpledenvelope。
　　“Shadrach，“hesaid，“Idon’thardlyknowhowtobegin。Itseemssostrangetothinkthatyouandme，who’vebeensoclosetoeachotheralltheseyears，shouldhaveasecretbetweenus，ifonlyforalittlewhile。Itseemswicked。Iguess’tiswicked，andI’mthewickedoneforkeepin’itfromyou。“
　　TheCaptainlaughed。
　　“Youcouldn’tbewickedifyouwasapprenticedtotheOldHarryfortenyears，Zoeth，“hesaid。“Youdon’tknowhowtobeandthedevilhimselfcouldn’tteachyou。Now，don’twastetimetellin’meI’mspeakinglightlyofsacredthings，“headded。“Foronething，theOldScratchain’tsacred，asIknowof，andforanotherIwanttohearthatsecret。Whatisit？“