no money when they decided to take you. They took
you simply for yourself, because they cared so much for you, not because
they were to make a cent from the guardianship. Everything you have
had for the past two years their money has paid for and you may be
absolutely certain they never have grudged a penny of it. The last time
I saw Captain Gould he was glorying in having the smartest and best girl
in Ostable County. And Mr. Hamilton--"

She interrupted him. "Don't, please!" she said chokingly. "Please don't
tell me any more just now. I--I want to think."

"There isn't any more to tell," he said gently. "I am going into the
next room. I shall be back in a few minutes. Then, if you care to, we
can talk a little more."

When he returned she had risen and was standing by the window looking
out into the back yard. She was calm and even smiled a little as he
entered, although the smile was a rather pitiful one. Of the two the
Judge looked the more perturbed.

"Whew!" he exclaimed, after carefully closing the door behind him. "I've
been doing a little thinking my self, young lady, since I left you here.
I've been thinking that I had better take a trip to Canada or China or
somewhere and start in a hurry, too. When your uncles find out that I
told you this thing they have succeeded in keeping from you all this
time--well, it will be high time for me to be somewhere else." He
laughed and then added gravely: "But I still think I was right in
telling you. Under the circumstances it seems to me that you should
know."

"Of course I should. If you had not told me I should have found it out,
now that my suspicions were aroused. Thank you, Judge Baxter. Now I must
go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Home--to South Harniss."

"Nonsense! You're not going to South Harniss yet awhile. You're going to
have dinner with my wife and me."

"Thank you. I can't. I must go at once. By the next train."

"There isn't any train until nearly four o'clock." Then, noticing her
look of disappointment, he went on to say: "But that shan't make any
difference. I'll send you over in my nephew's automobile. I'm not
sufficiently up-to-date to own one of the cussed--excuse me things, but
he does and I borrow it occasionally. I don't drive it; good heavens,
no! But his man shall drive you over and I'll guarantee you beat the
train. If you don't, it won't be because you go too slow. Now, of
course, you'll stay to dinner."

But Mary shook her head. "You're ve