, how CAN you talk of those
things--already?"

"I don't know," replied Mildred. "Perhaps because it's got to be done."

This seemed to them all--and to herself--a lame excuse for such
apparent hardness of heart. Her father had always been
SENDER-HEARTED--HAD NEVER SPOKEN OF MONEY, OR ENCOURAGED HIS FAMILY IN
SPEAKING OF IT.

A LONG AND PAINFUL SILENCE. THEN, THE WIDOW ABRUPTLY:

"YOU'RE SURE, Frank, there's NO insurance?"

"Father always said that you disliked the idea," replied her son; "that
you thought insurance looked like your calculating on his death."

Under her husband's adroit prompting Mrs. Gower had discovered such a
view of insurance in her brain. She now recalled expressing it--and
regretted. But she was silenced. She tried to take her mind of the
subject of money. But, like Mildred, she could not. The thought of
imminent poverty was nagging at them like toothache. "There'll be
enough for a year or so?" she said, timidly interrogative.

"I hope so," said Frank.

Mildred was eying him fixedly again. Said she: "Have you found
anything at all?"

"He had about eight thousand dollars in bank," said Frank. "But most
of it will go for the pressing debts."

"But how did HE expect to live?" urged Mildred.

"Yes, there must have been SOMETHING," said her mother.

"Of course, there's his share of the unsettled and unfinished business
of the firm," admitted Frank.

"How much will that be?" persisted Mildred.

"I can't tell, offhand," said Frank, with virtuous reproach. "My
mind's been on--other things."

Henry Gower's widow was not without her share of instinctive
shrewdness. Neither had she, unobservant though she was, been within
sight of her son's character for twenty-eight years without having
unconfessed, unformed misgivings concerning it. "You mustn't bother
about these things now, Frank dear," said she. "I'll get my brother to
look into it."

"That won't be necessary," hastily said Frank. "I don't want any rival
lawyer peeping into our firm's affairs."

"My brother Wharton is the soul of honor," said Mrs. Gower, the elder,
with dignity. "You are too young to take all the responsibility of
settling the estate. Yes, I'll send for Wharton to-morrow."

"It'll look as though you didn't trust me," said Frank sourly.

"We mustn't do anything to start the gossips in this town," said his
wife, assisting.

"Then send for him yourself, Frank," said Mildred, "and give him charge
of