trustworthy?"

"Nothing very definite perhaps, unless it was
his look when I told him that I meant to ask you
to take charge of things for me."

"He's been rather hard pressed this year, I
think," said Joe. "You might be right--if he
could have found a way. I hope he hasn't."

"I'm afraid," she began, gayly, "that I know
very little of my own affairs. He sent me a draft
every three months, with receipts and other things
to sign and return to him. I haven't the faintest
notion of what I own--except the old house and
some money from the income that I hadn't used
and brought with me. Judge Pike has all the
papers--everything."

Joe looked troubled. "And Roger Tabor, did
he--"

"The dear man!" She shook her head. "He
was just the same. To him poor Uncle Jonas's
money seemed to come from heaven through the
hands of Judge Pike--"

"And there's a handsome roundabout way!"
said Joe.