"It is Sir Walter," said a pleased voice. "I wasn't sure till you took your hat off." 

 The young man paused in the act of hanging up his hat and looked down upon the occupant of the next chair. She was regarding him with interest. 

 "Why, good-morning, Miss Lacey," he responded, and perhaps his smile would not have been so pronounced but for the quick consideration of Judge Trent's situation had he not transferred his ticket this morning. 

 Dunham even wondered if Miss Lacey might not have learned in some way who it was that had engaged this chair and made her arrangements accordingly. However, the surprise with which she recognized him was certainly genuine. 

 "Aren't these seats comfortable?" she went on as he sank into his. "I never traveled in one before. I'm just being reckless this morning." 

 Her triumphant, half-defiant regard did not indicate that she was laboring under any disappointment. 

 Upon Dunham's acquiescence she continued: "Perhaps, being in the office, you know about my windfall?" 

 "I hadn't heard, but I'm glad there was a windfall." 

 Miss Martha scrutinized the speaker's countenance approvingly. "He's about as pleasant-looking a man as I ever laid eyes on," she thought. 

 "It isn't exactly a windfall, because it's only my own come back to me; but it's money I never expected to see again, and if Cal—if Judge Trent wasn't a good deal smarter than the average I never should have, either." 

 "Not many people can get ahead of him," returned Dunham. 

 "I guess not," said Miss Lacey, and she bridled proudly in a manner not lost upon her neighbor. "So I just said to myself this morning, 'What's the use of always being so careful?' Said I, 'I believe I'll see for once how it feels to go to Boston like a nabob.'" 

 Dunham smiled and nodded, perceiving that Miss Martha felt that her extravagance must be explained even if it could not be justified. 

 The extra alertness of her look suffered a slight cloud as she continued: "One thing that made me feel reckless was that affairs are taking a turn that may make me be more careful and more economical than I ever was before, and I just thought before I found out I'd have one 

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