absolute rest,"
said Sheldon. So Judah guarded the outer portal, and, when he went out,
hung up a warning placard. "OUT. NO ADMITENTS. DOORS LOKED. KEY UNDER
MAT." The information concerning the key was for the doctor's benefit.

But Elizabeth sent her good wishes and sympathy. So did her mother. So,
too, did Esther Tidditt, and Miss Snowden, and Miss Peasley, and in fact
all the Fair Harbor inmates. For the first day Mr. Cahoon was kept busy
transmitting messages to the spare stateroom.

But about this time Bayport began to rock with a new series of
sensations and, except by the very few, Captain Kendrick was forgotten.
The news of Judge Knowles' various legacies became known and spread
through the village like fire in a patch of dead weeds. The Fair Harbor
sat up nearly all of one night discussing and commenting upon the good
fortune which had befallen the Berrys. And by no means all of the time
was used in congratulations.

"Humph!" sniffed Susanna Brackett, her lips squeezed so tightly together
that her mustache stood on end. "Humph!"

Miss Snowden nodded. "Of course," she said, "I'm not a person to hint,
or anything of that sort. But--_but_ if somebody'll tell me _why_ the
judge left all that money to her I should like to hear 'em."

Mrs. Brackett opened her lips sufficiently to observe that so should
she. "Of course," she added, "the five thousand that Lobelia left
Cordelia might have been expected, they was real friendly always. But
why did Judge Knowles leave it all to Elizabeth and not one cent to her
mother? _That_ I _can't_ understand."

Miss Peasley smiled. "We used to wonder why Elizabeth kept runnin' to
the judge's all the time," she said. "He was sick and feeble and we
thought 'twas queer her pesterin' him so. _Now_--well, it pays to hang
around sick folks, don't it? They're easier to coax, maybe, than the
well kind.... Course I ain't sayin' there was any coaxin' done."

Little Mrs. Tidditt's feathers had begun to rise. "Oh, no!" she snapped.
"You ain't _sayin'_ anything, any of you. Judge Knowles was business
head of this--this old cats' home afore he app'inted Cap'n Kendrick to
the job, and you know that. Elizabeth _had_ to go to him about all sorts
of money matters, and you know that, too. As for her tryin' to coax him
to leave her money, that's just rubbish. He always liked her, thought
the world of her ever since she was a little girl, and he left her the
twenty thousand because of that and f