wbray. There was no doubt of his natural and professional ability, but
it was the inability to let liquor alone, even when business demanded
attention. Hence he had little of the latter.

He was not sober when Angus entered his untidy little office. At Angus'
entrance he stared up with dull eyes from beneath a thick thatch of gray
hair which had fallen across his forehead like a horse's forelock. For a
moment he had difficulty in identifying his visitor, but succeeded.

"Angus," he muttered, "sure, yes, Angus Mackay. Sit down, Angus. And how
is your father?"

"My father is dead, Judge Riley," Angus reminded him.

"Dead!" said the judge, "dead!" His voice altered at the repetition of
the word, and his eyes lost a little of their dullness. "Why, I knew
that," he muttered to himself, "I knew Mackay was dead. I--I beg your
pardon, Angus. Not--not exactly right just now. A little--a little touch
of something. All right, presently."

"I'll come in again," Angus said. "I wanted to see you on business."

"Bus'ness?" the judge queried. "Always 'tend to bus'ness. Not so much of
it now. State your bus'ness."

Though he did not see much use in doing so in the judge's condition,
Angus told him what had happened and asked what powers the executor
possessed.

"Exec'tor governed by will," the judge told him. "Never give 'pinion on
written instrument without seeing instrument."

"You drew the will yourself, judge--at least it has your name on it."

"Good will, then," said the judge, "perfec'ly good will."

"There's nothing in it about renting the place."

"Exec'tor's powers broad," said the judge. "Gen'ral law of trustees.
Governed by will, though. Princ'ples governing construction of will--"

But just then the judge was in no condition to enunciate them. His voice
trailed off into a murmur and his head dropped.

"I'll come in again," said Angus, "and pay for your advice. What do you
charge, judge?"

"Charge!" muttered the judge lifting his head. "Charge, Chester, charge!
On, Stan--"

"Your fee," Angus interrupted.

"Oh, fee!" said the judge. "Yes, fee. Very proper. Fund'mental princ'ple
of law, never neglect fee. Fifty dollars!"

"Fifty dollars!" Angus gasped.

"Merely nom'nal fee," the judge murmured. "Avoid lit'gation, young man,
'void lit'gation!" And his head fell forward and he slept.

Disappointed in obtaining legal advice from the judge, Angus left his
office. He was determined, however, to know where he