The following afternoon the partners of Hamilton and Company entertained a caller at the store.  That evening Shadrach spoke of the call to Mary-’Gusta.

“That young Smith feller that’s been visitin’ the Keiths was in today,” said the Captain.  “Didn’t want to buy nothin’; said he just happened in, that’s all.  Asked where you was, he did.  I didn’t know he knew you, Mary-’Gusta.”

Mary-’Gusta, who was busy clearing the supper table, answered without looking round.  “He and Edna Keith bought some things at the store yesterday,” she said.

“Yes, so he said.  He said tell you everything was all right and he had a fine time at the picnic.  Seemed to cal’late you was a pretty bright girl.  We knew that afore, of course, but it was nice of him to say so.  He’s leavin’ on tomorrow mornin’s train.  Goin’ way out West, he is, to Nevada; that’s where he and his dad live.  His ma’s dead, so he told us.  Must be tough to live so fur off from salt water:  I couldn’t stand it, I know that.  Funny thing about that young feller, too; his face looked sort of familiar to me and Zoeth.  Seemed as if he looked like somebody we knew, but of course we didn’t know any of his folks; we don’t know any Smiths from way off there.”

The subject was dropped for the time, but two days later the expressman brought a package to the house.  The package was addressed to Miss Mary Augusta Lathrop and contained a five-pound basket of expensive chocolates and bonbons.  There was a note with it which read as follows: 

Hope you’ll like these.  They are fresh, at least Huyler’s people swear they are, but I don’t believe they are as good as those marshmallows.  And I know they are not as fresh as a certain person was at a certain time.  Please eat them and forget the other freshness.

C. S.

You were a perfect little brick not to tell.

Mary-’Gusta was obliged to tell then, but she made her uncles and Isaiah promise not to do so.  She, with the able assistance of the other members of the household, ate the contents of the basket in due time.  The basket itself was taken to the parlor, where it was given a place beside the other curiosities.  As for the note, that disappeared.  And yet, if one had investigated the contents of the small drawer of Mary-’Gusta’s bureau, where she kept her most intimate treasures, the mystery of its disappearance might have been solved.

It was the only epistle of its kind the girl had yet received; and, after all, good-looking young college men are what they are.  And Mary-’Gusta, in spite of her queerness, was feminine—­and human.

CHAPTER IX

When Mary-’Gusta was seventeen a great event took place.  The happening which led to it was trivial enough, but the results were important and far-reaching.  They led to the second great change in her life, a change as important as that brought about by her memorable “visit” to South Harniss.