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put in here when she married Uncle John or not. Most of it is probably belongings of the Shaw family, my father’s people, for several generations back.”
    â€œWell, it may take us generations to search all of it,” Joe said with a laugh.
    By late Sunday night Mandie and Joe had not completed looking into everything in the attic, even though they had worked every minute, except for time to eat and sleep. But now they had to stop and get some sleep. Mandie planned to continue with the search after the hearing was held the coming week in Bryson City.
    ----
    Before daybreak on Monday morning, John Shaw, Mrs. Taft, Mandie with Snowball, and Joe began their journey to the Woodards’ house. As Mandie had thought, her mother did not go with them. Dr. Woodard had already departed on Sunday to go by and get Uncle Ned. They were waiting at the Woodards’ house when Mandie and the others arrived Monday afternoon.
    â€œCome in, come in,” Mrs. Woodard greeted them at the front door. She stepped aside and motioned everyone into the front hallway. “Just leave your bags here in the hall. The Millers are working today and will take them up to your rooms for you.”
    Mandie set Snowball down, and he disappeared down the hallway. Then she quickly removed her gloves and stuffed them into the pocket of her cloak, which she removed and hung with the others’ wraps on the hall tree.
    As Mrs. Woodard led them into the huge parlor off the front hall, Mandie hurried to greet Uncle Ned, who was sitting before the fire with Dr. Woodard. The two men rose as everyone entered the room.
    â€œUncle Ned!” Mandie said, embracing the old Indian as he hugged her back.
    â€œPapoose, glad you got here all right,” Uncle Ned told her. He turned to greet Mrs. Taft and Joe and to shake hands with John Shaw as everyone took a seat.
    John Shaw pulled out his watch, which was on a chain in his vest pocket, to look at the time. “Whew! We don’t have long to get to the courthouse, do we?” he said. Then he added, “I would like to talk to you, Uncle Ned, before we go.”
    â€œDon’t worry about the time, John,” Dr. Woodard said. “A messenger brought word early this morning that the hearing has been postponed until nine o’clock tomorrow morning, so you have plenty of time.”
    â€œI wonder why. Did they give you any reason for changing it?” Uncle John asked.
    â€œNo, the man said he knew you had told them you could be contacted here during the hearing, so he just said the schedule was running behind and it would be tomorrow morning,” Dr. Woodard explained.
    â€œWell, in that case, why don’t we all get out of these traveling clothes and get comfortable before we begin our discussion about the will? Is that agreeable with everyone?” Mrs. Taft asked as she stood up and looked around the room.
    â€œOf course,” John Shaw said, rising from his chair. Looking at Dr. Woodard and Uncle Ned, he added, “This won’t take long.”
    Mrs. Woodard told them, “I’ll go up and show you where I’ve put all of you.” She led the way up the steps.
    All of the bedrooms upstairs were large and contained two or three huge, four-poster beds each. The Woodards’ home was made of logs, like most of the houses in the area, but it was much larger than most, though nothing like the size of John Shaw’s home in Franklin.
    â€œMrs. Taft, I’ve put you and Amanda in here,” Mrs. Woodardsaid as she pushed open the door to the room on the front corner of the house.
    â€œThank you, this is fine,” Mrs. Taft replied as she stepped into the room with Mandie following. Mrs. Woodard took John Shaw on down the hallway.
    Mandie noticed their bags had already been brought up, and she hurriedly opened hers and took out a blue and white gingham dress. She had changed clothes before Mrs. Taft even had hers laid out on the