usband left his affairs in
such shape that there will be absolutely no difficulty in settling the
estate. It could be done in half an hour, if necessary. Everything is
ship-shape, as the saying is. I shall be glad to place myself at the
command of yourself and your attorneys. Have no hesitancy in calling upon
me."

He waited. No one spoke. Braden was looking at him now. He had recovered
from his momentary collapse and was now listening intently to the old
lawyer's words. There was a hard, uncompromising light in his eyes,--a
sullen prophecy of trouble ahead. After a moment, Judge Hollenback
construed their silence as an invitation to go on. He liked to talk.

"Our good friend Dodge says that no one else has a thing to say about the
manner in which the trustee of this vast fund shall disperse his dollars."
(Here he paused, for it sounded rather good to him.) "Ahem! Now does Mr.
Dodge really believe what he says? Just a moment, please. I am merely
formulating--er--I beg pardon, Mrs. Thorpe. You were saying--?"

"I prefer not to act as executrix of the will, Judge Hollenback," said
Anne dully. "How am I to go about being released from--"

"My dear Mrs. Thorpe, you must believe me when I say that your
duties,--er--the requirements,--are practically _nil_. Pray do not labour
under the impression that--"

"It isn't that," said Anne. "I just don't want to serve, that's all. I
shall refuse."

"My daughter will think the matter over for a few days, Judge Hollenback,"
said Mrs. Tresslyn suavely. "She _does_ feel, I've no doubt, that it would
be a tax on her strength and nerves. In a few days, I'm sure, she will
feel differently." She thought she had sensed Anne's reason for
hesitating. Mrs. Tresslyn had been speechless with dismay--or perhaps it
was indignation--up to this moment. She had had a hard fight to control her
emotions.

"We need not discuss it now, at any rate," said Anne. She found it
extremely difficult to keep from looking at Braden as she spoke. Something
told her that he was looking hard at her. She kept her face averted.

"Quite right, quite right," said Judge Hollenback. "I hope you will
forgive me, Braden, for mentioning your--er--theories,--the theories which
inspired the somewhat disturbing clause in your grandfather's will. I feel
that it is my duty to explain my position in the matter. I was opposed to
the creation of this fund. I tried to make your grandfather see the utter
fallacy of his--shall w