Mrs. Montgomery still occupied the old mansion, waiting patiently the issue whatever it might be.  Her health, I regretted to find, was not firm.  She suffered a great deal from nervous debility; and I saw, plainly, that she had failed considerably during the past few months.  Blanche, on the contrary, after recovering from the illness which followed immediately on her arrival in S——­, had continued in excellent health; and was growing daily more matured and womanly both as to mental development and personal bearing.

The mill improvements went on all summer, exciting no little interest in our town, and occasioning no small amount of talk and speculation.  It was some time in the fall of that year, that I was permitted to hear this brief conversation between a couple of townsmen.  Mr. A——­had made some query as to the source of all the money expended on the new mill of Squire Floyd, which was now standing forth, under roof, in most imposing proportions, compared with the old works.  Mr. B——­shrugged his shoulders, and replied,

“Floyd and the Judge are joint executors of old Allen’s estate, you know.”

“What does that signify?” inquired Mr. A——.

“It may signify a great deal.  They have trust funds in their possession to a large amount, I am told.”

“They are both honorable men, and would not violate their trust,” said A——.

“I will not gainsay that,” answered Mr. B——.  “Still, they may use these funds temporarily, and wrong no one.”

Nothing more was said in my presence, but I turned their remarks over and over again, feeling less satisfied the more I pondered them.  A day or two afterwards I met Mr. Wallingford, and said to him,

“How comes on the search for the heirs of the Allen estate?”

The question caused him to look grave.

“No progress has been made, so far as I can learn,” he answered.

“Isn’t this indifference on the part of the executors a little extraordinary?” I remarked.

“I must confess that I do not understand it,” said the young lawyer.

“There is personal, as well as real estate?”

“Yes.  Stocks worth twenty thousand dollars.”

“I have heard it suggested, that trust funds in the case are going into Squire Floyd’s mill.”

Wallingford started at the suggestion, and looked for some moments intently in my face; then dropped his eyes, and stood lost in thought a good while.

“Where did you hear the suggestion?” he at length inquired.

I repeated the conversation just mentioned, and named the individuals with whom it had occurred.

“And now, Henry,” said I, “put this hint, and the singular neglect of the executors to search for the heirs to the Allen property, together, and tell me how the matter shapes itself in your mind.  We speak confidentially with each other, of course.”

“I don’t just like the appearance of it, that is all I can say, Doctor,” he replied in a half absent manner.