done something awful?"

"Blessed if I know." Roger shook his head helplessly. "Knowing the man
as I've known him, I can't believe it. But Bassett's one of the coldest
of them all--and I'd trust Bassett to the limit. It certainly is a
puzzle." He was silent for a moment. Then he added slowly, as if he were
reluctant to put his thought into speech: "Of course Good's led a pretty
hard life, you know. Maybe some of it came back on him--maybe he had a
relapse. Liquor had him once. Maybe...."

"Has Judith any explanation?" asked the Judge suddenly.

"None that I know of."

"Was she--surprised?"

"Honestly, Judge, I don't know," said Roger candidly. "She acted mighty
queer. First she seemed surprised, and then she didn't. For a minute I
kind of thought she was--well--sore. But...." A picture flashed across
his memory of Judith on the lounge, with the sobs shaking her shoulders.
"... I guess it was disappointment. She thought the world of Good, you
know."

"Indeed, yes!" cried Molly. "I've often thought...." But she never
finished saying what it was she thought. Her father rose abruptly.

"I think if you young people will--er--excuse me...." His voice was
strangely tremulous. "I'm a trifle tired."

"Your father looks kind of knocked up over something," said Roger when
the old man had left them. "Anything wrong?"

Her face clouded. "I--don't know. He's been awfully busy. He's not very
well. That attack last winter--he's never shaken it off, quite.
Sometimes--I'm afraid! Oh, Roger--if anything should happen...."
Suddenly she burst into wholly unexpected tears.

Roger, comforting her, experienced a vague satisfaction, for which he
knew he should be ashamed--but was not. Molly was such a sturdy soul, so
self-sufficient and self-contained, it delighted him to know that she
could cry ... just like any ordinary protectible woman.

Upstairs, in his study, the Judge had seated himself before his desk,
the tips of his long white fingers clasped together. For a long time he
remained immobile, staring blankly at the wall before him. The single
green-shaded lamp at his elbow cast grotesque shadows at his infrequent
movements. Finally he sighed, as if he were very tired, and put out the
light.

II

When the maid went up with the Judge's coffee next morning, she found
him already fully dressed.

"Tell O'Neil I'll have the car at once," he said quietly.

"But Miss Wolcott, sir, she's...."

"At once, please."

In relay