"Bless me," said Elsie, "will he go about covered with diamonds?"
"His old uncle has left him a fortune," explained Elizabeth.
Elsie fairly screamed, and clapped her little hands with graceful fury.
"Who would have thought it! Only fancy Tom Fuller rich! Why he'll be robbed every day of his life."
"How much is it?" asked Mellen. "I am very glad. Tom is a good fellow and deserves it."
He had entirely got over any suspicion that Elizabeth might ever have cared for her cousin, and was prepared to rejoice in Tom's good fortune.
"How much—how much?" broke in Elsie.
"Thirty thousand a year," replied Elizabeth; "Tom is in a state of bewilderment that makes his letter sadly incoherent; he never expected a penny; his uncle changed his will at the last moment."
"But wasn't he your uncle, too?" asked Elsie.
"No; he was aunt Fuller's brother."