what hour may I see you to-morrow, Judge Hollenback?"

"Name your own hour, Braden."

"Three o'clock," said Braden succinctly. He turned to George. "No hard
feelings, George, on my part."

"Nor on mine," said George, extending his hand. "It's just my way of
looking at things lately. No offence was meant, Brady. I'm too fond of you
for that."

"You've given me something to think about," said Thorpe. He bowed stiffly
to the ladies and Judge Hollenback. George stepped out into the hall with
him.

"I intend to stick pretty close to Anne, Brady," he said with marked
deliberation. "She needs me just now."

Thorpe started. "I don't get your meaning, George."

"There will be talk, old man,--talk about you and Anne. Do you get it now?"

"Good heaven! I--yes, I suppose there will be all sorts of conjectures,"
groaned Braden bitterly. "People remember too well, George. You may rest
easy, however. I shall not give them any cause to talk. As for coming to
this house again, I can tell you frankly that as I now feel I could almost
make a vow never to enter its doors again as long as I live."

"Well, I just thought I'd let you know how I stand in the matter," said
George. "I'm going to try to look out for Anne, if she'll let me. Good-
bye, Brady. I hope you'll count me as one of your friends, if you think
I'm worth while. I'm--I'm going to make a fresh start, you know." He
grinned, and his teeth chattered.

"You'd better go to bed," said Braden, looking at him closely. "Tell Anne
that I said so, and--you'd better let a doctor look you over, too."

"I haven't much use for doctors," said George, shaking his head. "I wanted
to kill you last winter when you cut poor little Lutie--Oh, but of course
you understand. I was kind of dotty then, I guess. So long."

Simmy came to the library door and called out: "I'll be with you in a
second, Brady. I'm going your way, and I don't care which way you're
going. My car's outside." Re-entering the room, Mr. Dodge walked up to
Anne and actually shook her as a parent would shake a child. "Don't be
silly about it, Anne. You've got to accept the house. He left it to you
without--"

"I cannot live up to the conditions. The will says that I must continue to
make this place my home, that I must reside here for--Oh! I cannot do it,
that's all, Simmy. I would go mad, living here. There is no use discussing
the matter. I will not take the house."

"'Pon my soul," sighed Judge Hollenback, "the p