n it dropped to ten, and then it got down to a dollar a
week,--humiliating, Will, considering that I had given up my interest in
the ancient and honorable firm of Montgomery & Holton, Bankers, just for
her! But when she shook me for good, I'm damned if she didn't give me a
clean thousand just as a consolation prize."

William was more interested in this phase of the relationship than in
anything that had gone before. He was aware of the local belief that
Jack had thrown away his wife's share of her father's estate in his real
estate speculations in Seattle and that Amzi supported her dutifully by
a regular allowance; in fact, the three sisters had encouraged this
impression by characteristic insinuations.

"What's become of her? Where is she now?"

"That's where you've got me stung: how do I know where she is! After she
slipped me the thousand and bade me a long and chilling farewell, I used
to keep track of her in one way or another. She had a restless streak in
her,--that's why she couldn't stand Tom and the rest of it,--and when it
was all peach blossoms and spring with us she liked to take spurts over
the world. We used to run down to San Francisco for little sprees, and
then when that played out she shifted to New York. But I've lost her
trail--I don't any more know where she is than if I'd never laid eyes on
her. She went abroad a couple of times and she may be over there now.
Say, if Amzi's putting up for her you will lose your main competitor one
of these days! She'd bust the biggest bank in Wall Street, that woman!
She's a luxurious little devil, and a wonder for looks. Even the harsh
trial of living with me didn't wear her to a frazzle the way you might
suppose it would. I guess if I hadn't poisoned the wells for her, she
could have shaken me for most any man she liked. By George, I'll get to
weeping on your neck in a minute, just thinking about her. I started in
to tell you what a miserable little wretch she is and I'm winding up by
bragging about her. She's got that in her! But she'll bust Amzi before
she winds up. And I hope you appreciate the value of that news. Old
Amzi, if he hasn't changed, is a fat-head who's content to sit in his
little bank and watch the world go by. And I guess he's got a nice bunch
of brothers-in-law on his hands. Poor old Amzi! There was always
something amusing about the cuss, even when he was a smug little
roly-poly as a boy. But I passed his bank this morning and it looked
li