ll had not yet been
probated, but would be within the month, when full particulars would be
furnished them. At the time of his death Anthony had been with the old
Judge, who had asked that the Ashton family be advised of his intention.

It was odd that under the circumstances Betty should appear to be the
least interested of the four persons about their small dinner table in
the news of her own good fortune.

"I wonder how much the legacy will amount to, mother--only a few hundred
dollars, I presume," Dick Ashton suggested. "It is an amazing thing to
me, however, why Judge Maynard should have left Betty a cent. Of course
he is an old bachelor with no heirs, but he seemed to have taken a great
fancy to this Graham fellow. And moreover, Betty was entirely an
outsider."

Mrs. Ashton would not entirely agree to her son's line of argument. For
Judge Maynard and her husband had been great friends, and interested in
a number of business ventures together in earlier days, when Mr. Ashton
had helped make the Judge's fortune as well as his own. And the older
man had not had the misfortune to lose his. Moreover, he had been
devoted to Betty when she was a small girl and later had shown much
interest in her effort to hold on to the old Ashton place.

"I should not be in the least surprised, dear, if the old Judge has left
you as much as a thousand dollars," Mrs. Ashton insisted as she helped
Betty undress and kissed her good-night.

CHAPTER XVII

The Day Before Esther's Debut

Three weeks had passed and Betty Ashton had fully recovered from her
accident. Today she had been doing a hundred small tasks in the house,
marching up and down their little garden, sometimes alone and sometimes
with Polly, yet never getting beyond calling distance of home. Now and
then she would tiptoe softly to a small bedroom and stand outside for a
moment listening silently. If a voice called her she went inside for a
little while, but if not she would go quietly away. For a solemn edict
had been issued in the family the evening before, that on the following
day no matter what should take place Esther must have absolute rest. At
four o'clock, however, she was to be aroused, dressed and given a light
tea, since at five they were to start for Berlin, where Esther was to
make her _debut_ as a singer at Professor Hecksher's celebrated autumn
concert.

And curiously enough, Esther had been able to sleep the greater part of
the morning. For we