The estate was not worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
now, by any means; it had been reduced to little more than two
thirds of that sum, and Anne's bright concern that everyone should
be SATISFIED with what was RIGHT, and her ingenuous pleasure in
Justin's cleverness in thinking of this possibility, were met with
noticeable coldness.

If Anne was wrong, and the paper she held in her hand worthless,
each girl would inherit a comfortable little fortune, but if Anne
was right, Cherry and Alix would have only a few thousand dollars
apiece, and the old home.

The business talk was over before any of them realized the
enormity of Anne's contention, and Anne and Justin had departed.
But both the old doctor and the lawyer agreed with Martin that it
looked as if Anne was right, and when the family was alone again,
and had had the time to digest the matter, they felt as if a
thunderbolt had fallen across their lives.

"That Anne could DO it!" Alix said, over and over. Cherry seemed
dazed, spoke not at all, and Martin had said little.

"People will do anything for money!" he observed once drily. He
had met Justin sternly. "I'm not thinking of my wife's share--I
didn't marry her for her money; never knew she had any! But I'm
thinking of Alix."

"Yes--we must think of darling Alix!" Anne had said, nervously
eager that there should be no quarrel. "If Uncle Lee intended me
to have all this money, then I suppose I must take it, but I