between the states."

"Yes," breathed Josie, "and the stepbrother inherited his property?"

"Oh, no, there is a widow and two children. A very sad story, very sad!
The widow has been crazed by grief and I hear is hopelessly insane. The
two children have been placed in care of an excellent woman and are now
living near their mother, so if she should ever ask for them they can
be reached quickly. She has shown no sign as yet of wanting to see
them. A sad case!"

"Yes, and I wouldn't trust those sanitariums," spoke Miss Oleander.
"They are often very tricky."

"Neither would I," said a young woman across the table from Josie. Her
name was Miss Chisholm and she had the distinction of being in
business. The ladies at Miss Denton's were not the type to be in
business.

"But Chester Hunt has been to the place again and again and says his
step-sister-in-law is receiving every attention and is being watched
with the greatest care. She is raving, so he says, and he is very sad
over it. Chester Hunt is a fine young fellow in spite of the unkind
things some persons say about his great-great-grandmother," declared
Mrs. Claiborne, vindictively.

"I don't like him," asserted Miss Chisholm.

"Indeed!" and Mrs. Claiborne eyed Miss Chisholm through her lorgnette.
"He is very popular with young ladies." There was a slight accent on
the ladies.

"Popular enough with girls who see him in society but you ask
stenographers how they like him," flushed Miss Chisholm.

"I am hardly likely to converse with stenographers on the subject of
Mr. Hunt," was the insolent answer.

Josie determined to cultivate Miss Chisholm and to give Mrs. Claiborne
a wide berth.

"Where has the poor lady been put?" Josie asked Miss Oleander,

"Somewhere in New York, I think!"

"Not at all! The place is an excellent one near Washington," said Mrs.
Claiborne.

"Hunt told me himself it was in Indiana," said Judge Tuttle. "I had
some business to settle for him. You see he is the executor and
administrator of Stephen Waller's estate. Naturally he was appointed
guardian of the children by the court.

"I understand they are a very unruly pair," went on Mrs. Claiborne. "It
seems it was their selfishness and naughtiness that gave their poor
mother her final breakdown. I hate to think it of Stephen Waller's
children, but I hear it on all sides. Chester Hunt can hardly control
himself when the subject comes up. He has done everything for them but
they have