Emissaries
from the routed speculators came to see the widow. It dribbled down from
the magnates of the local bank, the River National, by way of the
cashier to the chief clerk, that the widow Clark might easily get
herself into trouble and lose her property if she took everybody's
advice. It should be said that the River National Bank disliked these
rich upstart trust companies; also that the capitalists who had laid
envious eyes on the Field were associated with the local bank, which
expected to derive profit from this deal,-the largest that Alton had
ever known even during the boom years at the turn of the century.

What wonder, then, that the widow Clark, who was a sensible enough woman
in the matter of roomers and household management and knew a bum from a
modest paying laboring man as well as any one in the profession, was
perplexed in the present situation as to the course of true wisdom?
Incredible as it may seem, it was Adelle who during this time of doubt
gave her aunt strength to resist much bad advice. Her influence was, as
might be expected, merely negative. For after that single deliverance of
opinion she made no comment on all the discussion and advice. She seemed
to consider the question settled already: it was this tacit method of
treating the guardianship as an accomplished fact that really influenced
her troubled aunt. When a certain point of household routine came up
between them, Adelle observed that, as they should not be at home on
Thursday morning, the thing would have to go over till the following
day. Thursday was the day of their appointment with the probate judge.
Mrs. Clark, of course, had not forgotten this important fact, but not
having yet made up her distracted mind she had purposely ignored the
appointment to see what her niece would say. Thus Adelle quietly settled
the point: they were to keep the appointment with the judge. Another
faint occasion of displaying will came to her, so faint that it would
seem hardly worth mentioning except that a faithful historian must
present every possible manifestation of character on the part of this
colorless heroine.

It occurred when they saw the judge on Thursday. The probate judge, who
was busy with another case on their arrival, did not invite them into
his private room as on former occasions, but merely shoved across his
bench a card on which he had written a name and an address.

"It's all arranged," he said to Mrs. Clark. "Just go over to