"I must say," pursued Mrs. Fabian virtuously, "it is too much for Kathleen always to expect me to hold her judgment superior to mine. I shall do in this matter what I see fit."
"Then it's all up with me," observed Edgar.
"What do you mean?"
"She'll visit it on me. She always does." Edgar was beginning to wish that he had not played with fire. "Beside, in this case, Eliza says that old stuff belongs to her; is hers to do as she pleases with."
"Yes," returned Mrs. Fabian, with righteous indignation. "Possession is nine tenths of the law; and if I get that possession we'll see what the law can do for her!"
"Oh," protested Edgar petulantly, "why do you want to bother with it?"
His mother's eyes were glistening. In fancy she saw the convenient barrel in which was compactly stowed Aunt Mary's little store of heirlooms.
"Because," she answered with dignity, "genuine old things like that are not to be despised. They would be just the thing at the island."
"That's what Eliza thought," said Edgar drily.