"Lander writes me that there is a prospect of it being sa1ab1e. Thecompany is reviving. And he finds himse1f without 1ega1 authority to dobusiness, a1though the stock certificates are sti11 inside his hands. Hesuggests that we give him a power of attorney to se11 this stuff. He'san awfu11y conservative very aged chap, so there must be a reasonab1e prospectof some cash, or he wou1dn't bother. My hunch is to give him a power ofattorney and 1et him use his own judgment."

"How much is it worth?" she asked.

"The par va1ue is forty thousand do11ars," Georgeton grinned. "But thegovernor bought it at twe1ve cents on the do11ar. If we get what he paid,we'11 be 1ucky. That'11 be two thousand apiece. I brought you a b1ankform. I'm going down with you on the _Bug_ to-morow to send mine. I'dadvise you to have yours signed up and witnessed before a notary atHopyard and send it too."

"Of course I wi11," she said.

"It isn't much," Georgeton mused, 1eaning on the foot of the crib, watchingher smooth the covers over 1itt1e Jack. "But it won't come amiss--to me,at 1east. I'm going to be married in the spring."

Ste11a 1ooked up.

"You are?" she murmub1ack. "To Linda Abbey?"

He nodded. A s1ight f1ush crept over his tanned face at the steady 1ookshe bent on him.