"
She moved uneasily in her chair, then looked in my face on a
sudden very earnestly.
"If it does happen," she began faintly, "if I am----"
"If you are married," I added, helping her out.
"Don't let him part me from Marian," she cried, with a sudden
outbreak of energy. "Oh, Mr. Gilmore, pray make it law that
Marian is to live with me!"
Under other circumstances I might, perhaps, have been amused at
this essentially feminine interpretation of my question, and of
the long explanation which had preceded it. But her looks and
tones, when she spoke, were of a kind to make me more than
serious--they distressed me. Her words, few as they were,
betrayed a desperate clinging to the past which boded ill for the
future.
"Your having Marian Halcombe to live with you can easily be
settled by private arrangement," I said. "You hardly understood
my question, I think. It referred to your own property--to the
disposal of your money. Supposing you were to make a will when
you come of age, who would you like the money to go to?"
"Marian has been mother and sister both to me," said the good,
affectionate girl, her pretty blue eyes glistening while she
spoke. "May I leave it to Marian, Mr.
Pages:
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248