, partly sad.

"And yet," she went on, "I think that I should have come this morning,
after all, even if you had a poorer excuse for your absence, because,
you see, I came on business."

"You did?"

"That's why I've come again. That makes it respectable for me to be
here now, doesn't it?--for me to have come out alone after dark without
their knowing it? I'm here as your client, Joe."

"Why?" he asked.

She did not answer at once, but picked up a pen from beneath her hand
on the desk, and turning it, meditatively felt its point with her
forefinger before she said slowly, "Are most men careful of other
people's--well, of other people's money?"

"You mean Martin Pike?" he asked.

"Yes. I want you to take charge of everything I have for me."

He bent a frowning regard upon the lamp-shade. "You ought to look after
your own property," he said. "You surely have plenty of time."

"You mean--you mean you won't help me?" she returned, with intentional
pathos.

"Ariel!" he laughed, shortly, in answer; then asked, "What makes you
think Judge Pike isn't trustworthy?"

"Nothing very definite perhaps, unless it was his look when I told him
that I meant to ask you to take charge of things for me."

"He's been rather hard pressed this year, I think," said Joe. "You
might be right--if he could have found a way. I hope he hasn't."

"I'm afraid," she began, gayly, "that I know very little of my own
affairs. He sent me a draft every three months, with receipts and
other things to sign and return to him. I haven't the faintest notion
of what I own--except the old house and some money from the income that
I hadn't used and brought with me. Judge Pike has all the
papers--everything."

Joe looked troubled. "And Roger Tabor, did he--"

"The dear man!" She shook her head. "He was just the same. To him
poor Uncle Jonas's money seemed to come from heaven through the hands
of Judge Pike--"

"And there's a handsome roundabout way!" said Joe.

"Wasn't it!" she agreed, cheerfully. "And he trusted the Judge
absolutely. I don't, you see."

He gave her a thoughtful look and nodded. "No, he isn't a good man," he
said, "not even according to his lights; but I doubt if he could have
managed to get away with anything of consequence after he became the
administrator. He wouldn't have tried it, probably, unless he was more
desperately pushed than I think he has been. It would have been too
dangerous. Suppose you wait a w