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〃You will put them in a safe place； or get a friend to do so； and； if you
do your duty； you will go to your wife and beg her pardon for having even
for an instant thought of leaving her。〃
The Admiral passed his hand over his rugged forehead。 〃This is very
good of you； ma'am〃 said he； 〃very good and kind； and I know that you
are a staunch friend； but for all that these papers mean money； and though
we may have been in broken water lately； we are not quite in such straits
as to have to signal to our friends。 When we do； ma'am； there's no one
we would look to sooner than to you。〃
〃Don't be ridiculous！〃 said the widow。 〃You know nothing whatever
about it； and yet you stand there laying down the law。 I'll have my way
in the matter； and you shall take the papers； for it is no favor that I am
doing you； but simply a restoration of stolen property。〃
〃How that； ma'am？〃
〃I am just going to explain； though you might take a lady's word for it
without asking any questions。 Now； what I am going to say is just
between you four； and must go no farther。 I have my own reasons for
wishing to keep it from the police。 Who do you think it was who struck
me last night； Admiral？〃
〃Some villain； ma'am。 I don't know his name。〃
〃But I do。 It was the same man who ruined or tried to ruin your son。
It was my only brother； Jeremiah。〃
〃Ah！〃
〃I will tell you about himor a little about him； for he has done much
which I would not care to talk of； nor you to listen to。 He was always a
villain； smooth…spoken and plausible； but a dangerous； subtle villain all the
same。 If I have some hard thoughts about mankind I can trace them back
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to the childhood which I spent with my brother。 He is my only living
relative； for my other brother； Charles's father； was killed in the Indian
mutiny。
〃Our father was rich； and when he died he made a good provision both
for Jeremiah and for me。 He knew Jeremiah and he mistrusted him；
however； so instead of giving him all that he meant him to have he handed
me over a part of it； telling me； with what was almost his dying breath； to
hold it in trust for my brother； and to use it in his behalf when he should
have squandered or lost all that he had。 This arrangement was meant to
be a secret between my father and myself； but unfortunately his words
were overheard by the nurse； and she repeated them afterwards to my
brother； so that he came to know that I held some money in trust for him。
I suppose tobacco will not harm my head； Doctor？ Thank you； then I
shall trouble you for the matches； Ida。〃 She lit a cigarette； and leaned
back upon the pillow； with the blue wreaths curling from her lips。
〃I cannot tell you how often he has attempted to get that money from
me。 He has bullied； cajoled； threatened； coaxed； done all that a man
could do。 I still held it with the presentiment that a need for it would
come。 When I heard of this villainous business； his flight； and his
leaving his partner to face the storm； above all that my old friend had been
driven to surrender his income in order to make up for my brother's
defalcations； I felt that now indeed I had a need for it。 I sent in Charles
yesterday to Mr。 McAdam； and his client； upon hearing the facts of the
case； very graciously consented to give back the papers； and to take the
money which he had advanced。 Not a word of thanks to me； Admiral。 I
tell you that it was very cheap benevolence； for it was all done with his
own money； and how could I use it better？
〃I thought that I should probably hear from him soon； and I did。 Last
evening there was handed in a note of the usual whining； cringing tone。
He had come back from abroad at the risk of his life and liberty； just in
order that he might say good…bye to the only sister he ever had； and to
entreat my forgiveness for any pain which he had caused me。 He would
never trouble me again； and he begged only that I would hand over to him
the sum which I held in trust for him。 That； with what he had already；
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would be enough to start him as an honest man in the new world； when he
would ever remember and pray for the dear sister who had been his savior。
That was the style of the letter； and it ended by imploring me to leave the
window…latch open； and to be in the front room at three in the morning；
when he would come to receive my last kiss and to bid me farewell。
〃Bad as he was； I could not； when he trusted me； betray him。 I said
nothing； but I was there at the hour。 He entered through the window； and
implored me to give him the money。 He was terribly changed； gaunt；
wolfish； and spoke like a madman。 I told him that I had spent the money。
He gnashed his teeth at me； and swore it was his money。 I told him that I
had spent it on him。 He asked me how。 I said in trying to make him an
honest man； and in repairing the results of his villainy。 He shrieked out a
curse； and pulling something out of the breast of his coata loaded stick； I
thinkhe struck me with it； and I remembered nothing more。〃
〃The blackguard！〃 cried the Doctor； 〃but the police must be hot upon
his track。〃
〃I fancy not；〃 Mrs。 Westmacott answered calmly。 〃As my brother is a
particularly tall； thin man； and as the police are looking for a short； fat one；
I do not think that it is very probable that they will catch him。 It is best； I
think； that these little family matters should be adjusted in private。〃
〃My dear ma'am；〃 said the Admiral； 〃if it is indeed this man's money
that has bought back my pension； then I can have no scruples about taking
it。 You have brought sunshine upon us； ma'am； when the clouds were at
their darkest； for here is my boy who insists upon returning the money
which I got。 He can keep it now to pay his debts。 For what you have
done I can only ask God to bless you； ma'am； and as to thanking you I
can't even〃
〃Then pray don't try；〃 said the widow。 〃Now run away； Admiral； and
make your peace with Mrs。 Denver。 I am sure if I were she it would be a
long time before I should forgive you。 As for me； I am going to America
when Charles goes。 You'll take me so far； won't you； Ida？ There is a
college being built in Denver which is to equip the woman of the future
for the struggle of life； and especially for her battle against man。 Some
months ago the committee offered me a responsible situation upon the
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staff； and I have decided now to accept it； for Charles's marriage removes
the last tie which binds me to England。 You will write to me sometimes；
my friends； and you will address your letters to Professor Westmacott；
Emancipation College； Denver。 From there I shall watch how the
glorious struggle goes in conservative old England； and if I am needed you
will find me here again fighting in the forefront of the fray。 Good…bye
but not you； girls； I have still a word I wish to say to you。
〃Give me your hand； Ida； and yours； Clara；〃 said she when they were
alone。 〃Oh； you naughty little pusses； aren't you ashamed to look me in
the face？ Did you thinkdid you really think that I was so very blind；
and could not see your little plot？ You did it very well； I must say that；
and really I think that I like you better as you are。 But you had all your
pains for nothing； you little conspirators； for I give you my word that I had
quite made up my mind not to have him。〃
And so within a few weeks our little ladies from their observatory saw
a mighty bustle in the Wilderness； when t