om in
Simmy's apartment, to be constantly near his one and only patient. He
suffered no pecuniary loss in devoting all of his time and energy to young
Tresslyn. Ostensibly he was in full charge of the case, but in reality he
deferred to the opinions and advice of Dr. Bates, who came once a day. He
had the good sense to appreciate his own lack of experience, and thereby
earned the respect and confidence of the old practitioner.

It was quite natural that he and Anne should come in contact with each
other. They met in the sick-room, in the drawing-room, and frequently at
table. There were times during the darkest hours in George's illness when
they stood side by side in the watches of the night. But not once in all
those days was there a word bearing on their own peculiar relationship
uttered by either of them. It was plain that she had the greatest
confidence in him, and he came, ere long, to regard her as a dependable
and inspired help. Unlike the distracted, remorseful Lutie, she was the
source of great inspiration to those who worked over the sick man. Thorpe
marvelled at first and then fell into the way of resorting to her for
support and encouragement. He had discovered that she was not playing a
game.

Templeton Thorpe's amazing will was not mentioned by either of them,
although each knew that the subject lay uppermost in the mind of the
other. The newspapers printed columns about the instrument. Reporters who
laid in wait for Braden Thorpe, however, obtained no satisfaction. He had
nothing to say. The same reporters fell upon Anne and wanted to know when
she expected to start proceedings to have the will set aside. They seemed
astonished to hear that there was to be no contest on her part. She could
not tell them anything about the plans or intentions of Dr. Thorpe, and
she had no opinion as to the ultimate effect of the "Foundation" upon the
Constitution of the United States or the laws of God!

As a matter of fact, she was more eager than any one else to know the
stand that Braden intended to take on the all-absorbing question.
Notwithstanding her peculiar position as executrix of the will under which
the conditions were created, she could not bring herself to the point of
discussing the salient feature of the document with him. And so there the
matter stood, unmentioned by either of them, and absolutely unsettled so
far as the man most deeply involved was concerned.

Then came the day when Thorpe announced t