ing here. People are reluctant about moving into empty
neighborhoods, and businessmen aren't keen about opening up business
places before the customers are available. But I think it'll work out
all right. There's a plaza not far from here that will provide a place
to shop until the local markets are functioning, and Valleyview is part
of a centralized school district." He slipped the paper he had been
figuring on into his brief case, closed the case and stood up. "I'll
keep in touch with you."

Judith shook her head. "You'll do nothing of the sort. As soon as you
leave, I'm moving to Pfleugersville. My business here is finished."

"I'll keep in touch with you there then. All you have to do is give me
your address and phone number."

She shook her head again. "I could give you both, but neither would do
you any good. But that's beside the point. Valleyview is your
responsibility now--not mine."

Philip sat back down again. "You can start explaining any time," he
said.

"It's very simple. The property owners of Valleyview signed all of their
houses and places of business over to me. I, in turn, have signed all of
them over to you--with the qualification, of course, that after selling
them you will be entitled to no more than your usual commission." She
withdrew a paper from one of the manila envelopes. "After selling them,"
she went on, "you are to divide the proceeds equally among the four
charities specified in this contract." She handed him the paper. "Do you
understand now why I tried so hard to find a trustworthy agent?"

Philip was staring at the paper, unable, in his astonishment, to read
the words it contained. "Suppose," he said presently, "that
circumstances should make it impossible for me to carry out my end of
the agreement?"

"In case of illness, you will already have taken the necessary steps to
transfer the property to another agent who, in your opinion, is as
completely honest as you are, and in case of death, you will already
have taken the necessary steps to bequeath the property to the same
agent; and he, in both cases, will already have agreed to the terms laid
down in the contract you're holding in your hands. Why don't you read
it?"

* * * * *

Now that his astonishment had abated somewhat, Philip found that he
could do so. "But this still doesn't make sense," he said a short while
later. "Obviously you and the rest of the owners have purchased new
houses.