the dining-room table, alternately laughed at Anne and agonized
with her.

Nancy was superintending the boys, the elderly woman had a
comfortable chair by the fire, and Hannah was slowly and
ponderously setting the table. It was a pretty scene for Bert's
eyes to find, as he came in, and he gave his mother and his wife a
more than usually affectionate greeting.

Nancy followed him into their room, taking Anne. She was pleased
that the children had been so sweet with their grandmother,
pleased that her deep dish pie had come out so well, happy to be
cosy and safe at home while the last heavy rains of October
battened at the windows.

She had lowered Anne, already undressed, into her crib when Bert
suddenly drew her away, and tipped up her face with his hand under
her chin, and stared into her surprised eyes.

"Well, old girl, I got it! It was all settled inside of twenty
minutes, at five o'clock!"

"The--? But Bert---I don't understand--" Nancy stammered. And then
suddenly, with a rush of awed delight, "Bert Bradley! Not the
Witcher Place!"

"Yep!" Bert answered briefly. "He took it. It's all settled."