relations had left me no heart for marrying another woman. If I was a maundering old bachelor to-day it was no one's fault but hers. She asked me what I meant to do with my nephew and I said it was much more a question of what he would do with me. She inquired whether he were a nice young man and had brothers and sisters and any particular profession. I told her that I had really seen but little of him; I believed him to be six feet high and of tolerable parts. He was an only son, but there was a little sister at home, a delicate, unsuccessful child, demanding all the mother's care.
'So that makes your responsibility greater, as it were, about the boy, doesn't it?' said Mrs. Pallant.
'Greater? I'm sure I don't know.'
'Why, if the girl's life is uncertain he may be, some moment, all the mother has. So that being in your hands———'
'Oh, I shall keep him alive, I suppose, if you mean that,' I rejoined.
'Well, we won't kill him, shall we, Linda?' Mrs. Pallant went on, with a laugh.
'I don't know—perhaps we shall!' said the girl, smiling.
