If productive, no evidence of any return since Captain Allen's death appeared.
The winter passed without any apparent movement on the part of the executors looking to the discovery of Mrs.Allen's heirs.

Young Dewey came up from New York every few weeks, to hold business interviews with his uncle and Squire Floyd, touching the mill-extension which was fully determined upon; Judge Bigelow agreeing to invest twenty thousand dollars, and the nephew ten thousand.

All these matters were talked of in the beginning, freely, before Wallingford, who still had his office with his old preceptor, and shared in his business.

After a while, he noticed a growing reserve on the part of Judge Bigelow and Squire Floyd, when he was by, touching their private affairs; and then they ceased entirely all reference thereto.
Dewey came up as frequently as usual, but avoided any remark in relation to business while in the presence of Wallingford.

During his stay in S----, the Judge spent but little time at the office; being, for the most part, at the mill with his nephew and the Squire.
In the spring, a large force of men was set to work on the extension of Squire Floyd's mill; and as Judge Bigelow had become largely interested in the new enterprise, he gave a great deal more attention to what was going on in that direction, than to the business of his office, the heaviest part of which devolved upon Mr.Wallingford.Still, no steps were taken to discover the heirs of Mrs.Allen.Once or twice Mr.
Wallingford had approached the subject, but the Judge made no response.
At last, he put the question direct, as to what had been done.