I don't know what her husband died of, but I'll bet 'twasn't curvature of the spine.
If he didn't stand up straight 'twasn't his wife's fault." Mary-'Gusta's curiosity concerning the mysterious business which had brought them to the city became greater than ever before it was time to take the train for home.

Apparently all of that business, whatever it might be, had been transacted when her uncle and Mr.Keith took their short walk together after luncheon.

Captain Shadrach seemed to consider his Boston errand done and the pair spent half of the hour before train time wandering along Tremont and Washington Streets looking into shop windows, and the other half in the waiting room of the South Station.
Great and growing as was her curiosity, the girl asked no more questions.

She was determined not to ask them.

And the Captain, neither while in the city nor during the homeward journey, referred to the "hen" in which he and his friend from Chicago were mutually interested.