was that?”

“Fifty thousand dollars. It was an open account.
His books show the advances, but he took no notes.”

“And that claim is worth—?”

“It is good as against her individually. But she contends—”

“Yes, go on!”

I had struck the right note. He was annoyed at my
persistence and his apparent discomfort pleased me.

“She refuses to pay. She says Mr. Glenarm made her
a gift of the money.”

“That’s possible, isn’t it? He was for ever making
gifts to churches. Schools and theological seminaries
were a sort of weakness with him.”

“That is quite true, but this account is among the
assets of the estate. It’s my business as executor to collect
it.”

“We’ll pass that. If you get this money, the estate is
worth sixty thousand dollars, plus the value of the land
out there at Annandale, and Glenarm House is worth—”

“There you have me!”