Aunt Jane's Nieces
"
"True," he agreed.
"But I might have expected it, knowing the woman's character as I
did."
Uncle John wondered what Jane's character had to do with the finding
of Tom Bradley's last will; but he said nothing.
"Where are you living?" asked Louise.
"Not anywhere, exactly," he answered, "although Patsy has offered me
a home and I've been sleeping on a sofa in her living-room, the past
week."
"I advise you to stay with the Doyles," said Mrs. Merrick, quickly.
"We haven't even a sofa to offer you here, our flat is so small;
otherwise we would be glad to be of some help to you. Have you found
work?"
"I haven't tried to, yet, ma'am."
"It will be hard to get, at your age, of course. But that is a matter
in which we cannot assist you."
"Oh, I'm not looking for help, ma'am."
She glanced at his worn clothing and soiled white necktie, and smiled.
"But we want to do something for you," said Louise. "Now," sitting up
and regarding him gravely, "I'm going to tell you a state secret. We
are living, in this luxurious way, on the principal of my father's
life insurance. At our present rate of expenditure we figure that the
money will last us two years and nine months longer. By that time I
shall be comfortably married or we will go bankrupt--as the fates
decide. Do you understand the situation?"
"Perfectly. It's very simple," said the old man.
"And rather uncertain, isn't it? But in spite of this, we are better
able to help you than any of your other relatives. The Doyles are
hard-working folks, and very poor. Beth says that Professor De Graf is
over head and ears in debt and earns less every year, so he can't be
counted upon. In all the Merrick tribe the only tangible thing is my
father's life insurance, which I believe you once helped him to pay a
premium on."
"I'd forgotten that," said Uncle John.
"Well, we haven't. We don't want to appear ungenerous in your eyes.
Some day we may need help ourselves. But just now we can't offer you a
home, and, as mother says, you'd better stay with the Doyles.
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