fore, but really I could
hardly believe it would amount to anything. Marilla must have come
from fairy land to have all these things happen to her. May I ask Mr.
Lorimer here?"

"Certainly. You are very mysterious."

Dr. Richards went on with the telephone talk, giving explicit
directions how to find Loraine place where they were all assembled,
and, all anxious to hear his story. Then he took both little soft
hands in his.

"What would you say if a real fortune was coming to you?"

"Why there's Aunt Hetty's money and that will double in fourteen
years, Mr. Borden said, but I like fairy godmother better than any
fortune. Come, and go on with the game."

"No, I must explain to Miss Armitage. This was why Mrs. Johnson acted
rather queer. She was enjoined to silence. And the funny thing was she
didn't half believe it."

He sat down and placed his arm around Marilla, drawing her nearer.
Miss Armitage had a little jealous pang.

"On the side of Marilla's mother an old man died recently who was
nearly a hundred. He had a sort of farm and an old house and lived
like a hermit with pigs and ducks and chickens. He had six children,
but they married and went off. This is the fourth generation. There
was no will so they had to find all the heirs in order to get a good
deed to the property. They traced Mrs. Bond and learned she has left a
child. They found the woman who had kept her, but on her re-marriage
she had placed the child at Bethany Home, Newton. So Mr. Lorimer, an
old chum of mine came to this place, as he is a member of the firm
settling the estate. We went out to the Home--"

"How long ago?" asked Miss Armitage.

"Well, something over a fortnight. We had a rather difficult time to
persuade Mrs. Johnson to give up the important papers. She is very
matter of fact and I suppose has heard many a wild story that came to
nothing. You see she always keeps whatever comes with a child until
the girl is eighteen, when they are given to her. We found old Doctor
Langdon who could substantiate everything and who gave an affidavit,
so they were to proceed at once to a settlement. The city has taken a
strip for an avenue extension, and they want a good deed. I heard
from Lorimer a few days ago, and he said that everything was right,
that he should be at Newton shortly and wanted to see Marilla Bond."

"And how much may this wonderful fortune be?" The lady's tone was
slightly sarcastic. "They are apt to shrink by payment tim