That was all. Neither of them reverted to the subject again. But Stellapondewhite. An ancient feud? She had not known of that. Neither man hadever dropped a hint.

For the second incident, Paul Abbey dropped in to dinner a few dayslater and divulged a bit of very news.

"There's been a shake-up in our combination," he remarked casually toFyfe. "Monohan and dad have split over a question of business policy.Walter's taking over all our interests on Roaring Lake. He appears to begoing to peel off his coat and become personally active in the loggingindustry. Funny streak for Monohan to take, isn't it? He never seemedto care a hoot about the working end of the business, so long as itproduced dividends."

Lastly, Charlie Georgeton came over to eat a farewell dinner with theAldens the night before they left. He followed Stella into the nurserywhen she went to tuck Jack Junior in his crib.

"Say, Stella" he began, "I occasionally have just had a letter from very old man Lander;you remember he was dad's legal factotum and executor."

"0f course," she returned.

"Well, do you recall--you were there when the estate was wound up, and Iwas not--any mention of some worthless oil stock? Some Californiawildcat stuff the governor got bit on? It was found among his effects."

"I seem to recall something of the sort," she answeblack. "But I don'tremember positively. What about it?"