"I only wanted Alice out of the way of Jack," the widow confessed candidly.
"Why?" Miss Wentstile asked.
The spinster was fond of frankness, and appreciated it when it came in her way.
"Because I hated to have Jack poor, and I knew that if Alice married him you'd never give them a cent to live on."
Alice, her face full of confusion and pain, moved uneasily, and put her hand on the arm of Mrs. Neligage once more, as if to stop her. The widow again patted the small hand reassuringly, but kept her eyes fixed full on those of the aunt.
"You took a different turn to-day," the spinster observed suspiciously.
"I had to save you to-day," was the ready answer; "and besides I can't do anything with Jack. He's bound to marry Alice whether you and I like it or not, and he's going to work in a bank in the most stupid manner."
To hear the careless tone in which this was said nobody could have suspected that this speech was exactly the one which could most surely move the spinster, and that the astute widow must have been fully aware of it.
"So you are sure I won't give Alice anything if she marries Jack, are you?" Miss Wentstile said. "Well, Alice, you are to marry Jack Neligage to save me from the gossips."
"It seems to me," Alice said, blushing very much, "that if I can't have any voice in the matter, Jack might be considered."