"I beg pardon. I--er----"
Then she turns and faces him. "Alice!" he gasps.

"My dear Bayard!" she protests. "Please let's not have any scene. It was
all so long ago, and I'm sure you must have gotten over that."

"But how--why--er----" he goes on.

"You wrote to Mrs. Lee Hollister, didn't you?" she demands. "I am Mrs.
Hollister."

Another gasp from Steele. "You?" says he. "Then you--you----"

"To be sure I married," says she. "And Professor Hollister was one of
the truest, noblest Southern gentlemen who ever lived. I have mourned
his loss for nearly ten years, and---- But don't stand there twiddling
your hat in that absurd fashion! You may sit, if you like. Get Mr.
Steele a chair, will you?"

I'd jumped and done it too, before I had time to think.

"Now what is this about Mr. Gordon's will?" says she.

Well, between us, whenever she'd let us get in a word, we managed to
sketch out the idea.

"You see," says Steele, "Pyramid Gordon wished to make what reparation
he could for any injustice he might have done during the course of his
business career. He left a list of names, among them being this, 'the
widow of Professor Lee Hollister.' Now possibly Gordon, in some way----"

"He did," breaks in Mrs. Hollister. "My husband had issued an elaborate
and exhaustive geological report on a certain district. It had attracted
wide attention. He was to have been appointed State Geologist, when
suddenly this Mr. Gordon appeared and began his unwarranted campaign of
abuse and opposition. Something about some coal and iron deposits, I
believe it was, on land which he was trying to sell to an English
syndicate. Professor Hollister's report failed to mention any such
deposits. As a matter of fact they did not exist. But Mr. Gordon
summoned experts of his own, who attacked my husband's statements. The
professor declined to enter into a public controversy. His dignity would
not permit him. Underhanded influence was brought to bear on the
Governor, and the appointment was given to another. But time has shown.
Discredited and beaten though he seemed to be, my husband was right. The
Gordon lands proved valueless. Those in which Professor Hollister
invested his savings were rich in minerals."

"Ah!" says Steele. "Quite like Pyramid. And it has been left to us, Mrs.
Hollister, to recompense, if we may, the bitterness of that----"

"Please!" says the lady. "Professor Hollister was not an embittered man.
Such methods were beneath h