"But, dad dear, will it come to that? Is the house really not yours? Oh, why won't Uncle Ted go, and start a house of his own somewhere?"
"He is quite willing to do so, but she is not. I have gathered that from his talk this afternoon. She will be the ruling spirit, I expect."
The tears came to Sidney's eyes. She had been expecting—dreading this blow, yet now it had fallen she felt quite stunned and unprepared for it.
"I know she has determined to turn us out." Then she stiffened in her chair.
"Dad, you and I must not wait to give her a chance of doing it. We must go at once, before the wedding."
Her father shook his head at her, with a sad little smile.
"That would be unfair to Ted. He doesn't want us to go. I somehow think that even now there are times when his heart fails him, when he questions the wisdom of taking such a momentous step at his age. He begged me to stay, and let things be as they are."
"But if Uncle Ted considers this his house, how can things remain the same? Don't you see that she will be mistress?"
The Admiral looked quite startled.
"I never thought of that. Well, Sidney, my child, we have each other, and I think we could find a snug little home somewhere else. Wouldn't you be content to live alone with your old father?"